A chamber of 435, or of 100, cannot run itself. The Constitution names only a few officers; the political parties built the rest. Each leader uses the powers of Congress through the chamber's rules.
| Leader | Chosen by | Job |
|---|---|---|
| Speaker of the House | the whole House (in practice, the majority party's choice) | presides, refers bills to committees, controls the floor schedule with the Rules Committee; second in the line of presidential succession |
| House majority and minority leaders | each party's members | plan strategy and speak for their party on the floor |
| Whips (both houses) | each party | count votes and urge members to vote with the party |
| Vice President (President of the Senate) | the Constitution | presides on occasion; votes only to break a tie |
| President pro tempore | the Senate (by custom, the longest-serving senator of the majority party) | presides when the Vice President is absent; third in the line of succession |
| Senate majority leader | the majority party's senators | sets the Senate's agenda; by custom is recognized first to speak |
Why it works
The Constitution says only that the House "shall chuse their Speaker and other Officers," that the Vice President is President of the Senate with a vote only when the senators "be equally divided," and that the Senate chooses a President pro tempore (Article I, Sections 2 and 3). Everything else, majority leaders, whips, the party conferences, grew out of the party system in the 1800s and 1900s. That is why the House's Speaker is so strong (the House runs on majority rule) while the Senate's leader works mainly by scheduling and by the custom of being recognized first: in the Senate, any member can slow things down.
Key idea
The Speaker, chosen by the House, leads it; majority and minority leaders and whips organize each party; the Vice President presides over the Senate and votes only to break ties; the President pro tempore presides in the VP's absence; the Senate majority leader sets the agenda.
Worked example: A tie in the Senate
The Senate splits 50–50 on a bill. What happens?
- Article I, Section 3: the Vice President votes when the Senate is "equally divided."
- If the Vice President votes yes, it passes 51–50; if no, it fails.
Answer: The Vice President may cast the tie-breaking vote.
Worked example: Who does what?
A member is told by a party leader that the vote on Thursday will be close and that the party needs her. Who is likely calling?
- Counting votes and rounding up members is the whip's job.
Answer: The party whip.
Common mistake
Thinking the Vice President runs the Senate day to day. The VP rarely presides and votes only to break ties; senators take turns presiding, and the majority leader sets the agenda. Check: if the question is about scheduling bills in the Senate, the answer is the majority leader; in the House, the Speaker.