Gourt Home::Gourt :: Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States Senate
The Senate Majority and Minority Leaders (also called Floor Leaders) are two United States Senators who are elected by the party conferences that hold the majority and the minority respectively. These leaders serve as the chief Senate spokesmen for their parties and manage and schedule the legislative and executive business of the Senate. By custom, the Presiding Officer gives the Majority Leader priority in obtaining recognition to speak on the floor of the Senate.
The Majority leader customarily serves as the chief representative and "face" of his or her party in Senate, and sometimes even in all of Congress if the House of Representatives and thus office of Speaker of the House is controlled by the opposition party.
Current floor leaders
The current floor leaders are Republican Bill Frist of Tennessee (Majority) and Democrat Harry Reid of Nevada (Minority).
History
The position is not designated in the U.S. Constitution. It evolved into existence over time. It wasn't until the 1920s when the two parties formally began to call their leaders Majority and Minority Leader. The Democrats began this practice starting in 1920 while they were in the minority. In 1925 the majority (of the time) Republicans also adopted this language.
Senator Charles Curtis of Kansas became the first Majority Leader in 1925. From 1929-1933 Curtis served as Vice President of the United States under President Herbert Hoover.
The Constitution designates the Vice President of the United States as President of the Senate. The Constitution also calls for a President Pro Tempore to serve as the leader of the body when the President of the Senate (the Vice President) is absent. All of these roles still exist today, however, for practical purposes it is now the Majority Leader who runs the Senate.
In January 2003 Republican Bill Frist was elected Senate Majority Leader. He succeeded Trent Lott who resigned his leadership position in December 2002 due to controversial remarks he made claiming the United States would be a better place if Strom Thurmond, who campaigned on a platform of racial segregation, was elected President. However, Senator Frist announced his retirement before the 2006 midterm elections. Senator Frist's retirement would leave the majority leader position open. The majority leader position would then fall, most likely, to Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.
List of Floor Leaders in the United States Senate
The Democratic Party first selected a Senate floor leader in 1920. The Republican Party first formally designated a floor leader in 1925.
(Names in Bold indicate Majority Leaders)
See also
- Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives
- Politics of the United States
- http://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/briefing/Majority_Minority_Leaders.htm
Lists of United States politicians | Leaders of the United States Congress | United States Senate | Majoritetsledare
"Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States Senate"