House Democratic Caucus

The House Democratic Caucus is a service-oriented organization for all Democratic members of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Role
The House Democratic Caucus is the only subgroup within the House of which every Democrat is a member. It nominates and elects the House Democratic Leadership, approves committee assignments, makes Caucus rules, enforces party discipline, and serves as a forum to develop and communicate party policy and legislative priorities. It accomplishes these tasks through weekly Caucus meetings, on-going Issue Task Forces, the yearly Caucus Issues Conference, periodic special events, and continual member-to-member communication. 

Leadership
Both the chairman and vice chair of the caucus are elected by all Democratic members of the House. Upon their election, they serve as the 3rd and 4th ranking Democrats in the House, respectively. With the assistance of the vice chair, the caucus chairman sets the agenda for and presides over weekly caucus meetings and other official activities. The chairman establishes the Caucus Issue Task Forces, through which legislative and party policy is developed and communicated. Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) was selected to lead the caucus during the 109th Congress. The other leadership included:


 * Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.) - Democratic Caucus Vice Chair
 * Rep. John Spratt (D-S.C.) - Assistant to the Democratic Leader

Articles and Resources

 * Official site of the House Democratic Caucus
 * House Republican Conference

Contact Details
1420 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: 202-226-3210