Congressional Leadership - 2015-16

Leadership in the 114th Congress started out a lot like leadership in the 113th Congress. At the top, Speaker John Boehner (R) and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D) in the House and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R) and Minority Leader Harry Reid (D) were the faces of their respective parties. However, on Sept. 25, 2015 Speaker Boehner announced that he would resign at the end of Oct. 2015; Rep. Paul Ryan was sworn in to succeed him on Oct. 29, 2015. Effective congressional leadership requires a particular temperament and set of skills. Boehner had said that his experience working in his father's bar helped give him the skills to do the job. "I mopped floors. I cleaned dishes. I waited tables. I tended bar...You have to learn to deal with every character that walks in the door."

2015-16 Edition  |  2013-14 Edition  |  2011-12 Edition  |  2010 Edition

House >
.


Speaker - Paul Ryan (WI)*     twitter

Majority Leader - Kevin McCarthy (VA)*     twitter
Majority Whip - Steve Scalise (LA)*    twitter

Chair, Republican Conference - Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA)*     twitter

NRCC Chairman - Greg Walden (OR)

Chair, Republican Policy Committee - Luke Messer (IN)*    twitter

Conference Vice-Chair - Lynn Jenkins (KS)

Conference Secretary - Virginia Foxx (NC)
Sophomore Representative - Ann Wagner (MO)
Freshman Representative - Mimi Walters (CA)
Rules Committee Chairman - Pete Sessions (TX)

Note: Leadership elections held Nov. 13, 2014.  No one challenged Speaker Boehner and there were just a handful of no votes.  This is largely the team that finished out the 113th Congress with the addition of Rep. Luke Messer (IN) in the number five position. Speaker Boehner (R) announced on Sept. 25, 2015 that he would resign at the end of Oct. 2015; Rep. Paul Ryan was sworn in to succeed him on Oct. 29, 2015.


groupings
Republican Study Committee - Bill Flores (TX)    twitter


Minority Leader - Nancy Pelosi (CA)*     twitter

Minority Whip - Steny H. Hoyer (MD)*     twitter

Assistant Leader - James Clyburn (SC)*     twitter

Democratic Caucus     twitter

Chair - Xavier Becerra (CA)
Vice Chair - Joe Crowley (CT)

DCCC Chairman - Ben Ray Luján (NM)

Democratic Steering and Policy Committee

Co-Chair - Rosa DeLauro (CT)
Co-Chair - Donna Edwards (MD)
Chairman of Policy and Comms. - Steve Israel (NY)
Note: Leadership elections held Nov. 18, 2014No one challenged Pelosi, who largely kept the same team.  The selection of
Rep. Ben Ray Luján (NM) as DCCC chair was seen as a surprise.


groupings

Progressive Caucus    twitter

New Democrat Coalition    twitter
Blue Dog Coalition     twitter




Senate >
.


Senate Republicans     twitter
Majority Leader - Mitch McConnell (KY)

Majority Whip - John Cornyn (TX)

Chair, Senate Republican Conference - John Thune (SD)*    
Chair, Republican Policy Committee - John Barrasso (WY)*     twitter

Vice Chair, Senate Republican Conference - Roy Blunt (MO)
Chair, National Republican Senatorial Committee - Roger Wicker (MS)
Note: Leadership elections held Nov. 13, 2014. No changes except Wicker taking over at NRSC.




Senate Democrats     twitter
Minority Leader - Harry Reid (NV)

[President Pro Tem - Patrick Leahy (VT)]
Assistant Minority Leader - Dick Durbin (IL)

Vice Chair of the Conference and Chair of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee - Charles E. Schumer (NY)* 

Secretary of the Conference - Patty Murray (WA)

Vice Chair of the Democratic Policy Committee - Debbie Stabenow (MI)
Chair, Steering and Outreach Committee - Amy Klobuchar (MN)*
Chair, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee - Jon Tester (MT)

and

Strategic Policy Advisor to the DPCC - Elizabeth Warren (MA)
Policy Development Advisor to the DPCC - Mark Warner (VA)

Note: Leadership elections held Nov. 13, 2014.  No one challenged Reid, but there were widespread reports of frustration and at least five of the Democratic Senators did not vote to support him.  Reid created a special position for Sen. Elizabeth Warren (MA), who was among the most popular Democrats nationally in the 2014 cycle; she is to serve as "envoy" or "liaison" to liberal groups.



. .

*leadership page

ADVERTISEMENT