The seniority norm also serves individual and institutional purposes. This
norm holds that the member with the longest service on a committee will chair the
committee. Although there have been numerous violations of the norm, whereby
the most senior member is passed over for someone whom the party leaders favor
instead, the norm benefi ts the institution by ensuring orderly succession in com-
mittee leadership.^17 The norm also benefi ts members by providing a tangible rea-
son why voters should return them to Congress year after year.Formal Structures
Formal structures also shape members’ behavior in Congress. Political parties,
party leadership, the committee system, and staff provide the context within
which members of Congress make policy and represent their constituents.PARTIES AND PARTY LEADERS
Political parties are important for allocating power in Congress. Party leaders are
always elected on straight party-line votes, and committee leadership, the division
of seats on committees, and the allocation of committee resources are all deter-
mined by the majority party. Without parties, the legislative process would be much
more fractured because members would be autonomous agents in battle with one
another. Parties provide a team framework that allows members to work together
for broadly benefi cial goals. Just think how diffi cult it would be for a member of
Congress to get a bill passed if she had to build a coalition from scratch every time.
Instead, parties provide a solid base from which coalition building may begin. As
discussed in Chapter 6, political parties provide the collective good of brand name
recognition for members.
The top party leader in the House—and the only House leader mentioned in the
Constitution—is the Speaker of the House. This individual is the head of the
majority party, and he or she infl uences the legislative agenda, committee assign-
ments, scheduling, and overall party strategy. The Speaker is aided by the majority
leader, the majority whip, and the caucus chair (in addition to many other lower-
level party positions). The majority leader not only is a key national spokesperson
for the party but also helps with the day-to-day operation of the legislative process.seniority The informal con-
gressional norm of choosing the
member who has served the longest
on a particular committee to be the
committee chair.
Speaker of the House The
elected leader of the House of
Representatives.
majority leader The elected
head of the party holding the major-
ity of seats in the House or Senate.
PARTY LEADERSHIP IS CENTRAL IN THE
legislative process. Following the
overwhelming victory in the 2010
midterm elections that swept their
party to power, Republicans Eric
Cantor (R-Va.) and John Boehner
(R-Ohio) met to talk about strategy
for the upcoming Congress.
Boehner became the Speaker and
Cantor the House majority leader
in January 2011.