The document discusses the leadership positions and duties of the United States Congress. It outlines that the Speaker of the House is John Boehner and the Majority Leader is Eric Cantor. In the Senate, the Vice President is the president and can cast tie-breaking votes, while the majority leader is Harry Reid. It also provides information on the powers of Congress, such as taxation, spending, declaring war and regulating interstate commerce.

1. UNITED STATES CONGRESS
Senior Social Studies

6. Senate Committees in Action
Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) speaks on Net Neutrality

8. Leadership of the House
Speaker of the House: John
Boehner(R-OH) Majority Leader: Eric Cantor (R-VA)

9. Their Duties:
Speaker Majority Leader
 Presiding officer  Floor leader of the
 Third in line to party
Presidency  Steers bills through
 Decides who speaks House
 Makes committee  Makes sure important
appointments bills make it out of
 Schedules bills for action committee

10. Minority Leader & Whips
Minority Leader: Nancy Pelosi (D- Whips: Majority (Kevin McCarthy (R-
CA) CA); Minority (Steny Hoyer D-MD)

11. Benefits of Majority Party

12. Their Duties:
Whips Minority Leader
 Assistant Floor Leaders  Can’t schedule work
 Watch how party
 Floor leader of the
party
members vote on bills  Steers bills through
 “Persuades” them to House
vote the party line  Makes sure important
bills make it out of
committee

13. Leadership of the Senate
President Pro Tempore: Daniel K.
Senate President: Vice President Inouye (HI) Longest serving
Joseph Biden majority-party member; Presiding
: Only can cast a tiebreaking vote
officer when VP isn’t in Senate

14. Their Duties:
Vice President President Pro Tempore
 Tie-Breaking Vote  Usually most senior
 Can recognize members member & from
majority party
 Can’t debate
 VP usually not in
 Can try to influence Senate so…
Senators  PPT fills in
 Spends more time  Can participate in
w/President
debates

15. Majority & Minority Leaders
Minority Leader: Mitch McConnell
Majority Leader: Harry Reid (D-NV) (R-KY)

16. Their Duties:
Majority Leader Minority Leader
 Steers party bills  Schedules w/majority
 Plans the Senate’s leader
work agenda (like  Steers party bills
Speaker of House)  Keeps party in line
 Works w/minority  Criticisms
leader
 Keep the party in line

17. Assistant Leaders (Whips)
Majority: Richard Durbin (D-Il) Minority: Jon Kyl (R-AZ)

19. Current Approval Ratings
President Congress
About 5 to
47% 8%

20. Current Disapproval Ratings
President Congress
About 90 to
50% 95%

21. But….

22. Congressional Powers
 Expressed (enumerated) v. implied (necessary &
proper)
 Taxing & spending (appropriations); also BORROWING
 Bankruptcy
 Interstate commerce (Heart of Atlanta Motel case)
 Copyrights, patents, weights measures
 Admitting new states
 Foreign policy (war, funding the military)
 Print money; run post office

23. Powers Denied
Ex Post Facto
Habeas Corpus
Bills of Attainder