Order Code RS20930
June 11, 2001
CRS Report for Congress
Received through the CRS Web
House Leadership Structure: Overview of
Party Organization
Judy Schneider
Specialist on the Congress
Government and Finance Division
Summary
At the beginning of each Congress, Members meet to organize and select their
leaders. Democrats call their party organization the Democratic Caucus; Republicans
call their party organization the Republican Conference. Within the caucus and
conference are numerous entities that assist party leaders in determining the work and
role of the Members of that party. This report serves as a companion piece to RS 20499,
House Leadership: Whip Organization, and RS20881, Party Leaders in the House.
Democrats
Democratic Caucus: The Democratic Caucus is the organizational vehicle for all
Democratic Members and staff. It hosts periodic meetings and is the primary vehicle for
communicating the party’s message. A chair and vice-chair are elected by the members.
No member can serve as chair or vice-chair for more than two terms.
Democratic Steering Committee: The Steering Committee is responsible for making
committee assignments. It is chaired by the Democratic leader, who is assisted by a co-
chair and three vice-chairs who are appointed by the Democratic leader. Committee
members also include the caucus chair and vice-chair, assistant to the minority leader, the
whip and four deputy whips (one of whom also serves as a vice-chair), the chair of the
congressional campaign committee, 12 members elected from 12 regions, 16 members
appointed by the Democratic leader, the chair of the Democratic Caucus’s Committee on
Organization, Study, and Review (OSR), and the ranking members of the Appropriations,
Budget, Energy and Commerce, Rules, and Ways and Means Committees.
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC): The campaign committee
is led by a chair appointed by the Democratic leader. The committee serves as the principal
fund-raising arm of the House Democrats.
Congressional Research Service ˜ The Library of Congress

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Republicans
Republican Conference: The Republican Conference is the organizational vehicle for all
Republican Members and staff. The conference hosts periodic meetings and is the primary
vehicle for communicating the party’s message. The conference is led by a chair, vice-
chair, and secretary, who are elected by the members.
Republican Steering Committee: The Steering Committee is responsible for making
committee assignments. It is chaired by the Speaker, who has five votes on the panel. The
majority leader has two votes. All other members have one vote. The other committee
members comprise the majority whip, chief deputy whip, conference chair, policy
committee chair, conference vice-chair and secretary, the chair of the campaign committee,
and the chairs of the Appropriations, Rules, and Ways and Means Committees.
Representatives are also elected from 10 geographic regions, an additional region made
up of small states, and the 105th, 106th, and 107th classes.
Republican Policy Committee: The policy committee is the Republican’s principal forum
for discussion of specific legislative initiatives, the enunciation of party priorities, and the
resolution of House committees’ jurisdictional policy disputes. A chairman, elected by the
Republican Conference, is part of a 46 member panel. The full membership includes, in
addition to the chair, the Speaker, majority leader, majority whip, conference chair,
conference vice-chair, conference secretary, campaign committee chair, leadership
chairman, a representative from each of the 105th, 106th, and 107th classes elected by their
class and designated as part of conference leadership, five committee chairs
(Appropriations, Budget, Energy and Commerce, Rules, and Ways and Means), 11
regional and state representatives elected from their regions or states, three class
representatives elected from their class, and a maximum of 15 members appointed by the
Speaker.
National Republican Congressional Committee: The campaign committee, led by an
elected chair and a 28 member executive committee, serves as the fund-raising arm of the
House Republicans.

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