Now that Senator Tom Daschle is the Majority Leader, what are his extra responsibilities? What are the Minority Leader’s duties? Irving, Texas - 6/22/01
The Majority and Minority Leader both make $161,200. The party leaders make more than the average Senator, who is paid $145,100. The salaries between the two leaders are at parity because they share many of the same responsibilities, detailed below. The chief distinction between them is the exclusive right of the Majority Leader to schedule bills for floor consideration.
Much has been made in the press of the Majority Leader’s “control” over the agenda. However, the Majority Leader’s right to schedule legislation must be seen in context. Whatever legislation he schedules can be filibustered, and therefore delayed or stopped. Whatever subject matter he does not schedule can be offered on the floor anyway in the form of non-germane amendments to other bills that are scheduled.
An important exception to this is the area of judicial nominations. Nominations are not legislation. If they are not scheduled for floor consideration by the Majority Leader, they cannot be offered in the form of amendments to other bills. The Majority Leader therefore has significant influence in the area of nominations - and this is precisely the issue over which agreement on a new organizational resolution in the Senate has so far stumbled.
Responsibilities which are assigned to the Senate Majority Leader exclusively:
To schedule and adjust the Senate’s annual schedule, in consultation with the Speaker of the House.
To schedule and adjust the Senate’s daily schedule, moving to adjourn or recess the Senate.
To select legislative priorities and schedule legislation for floor consideration.
To announce to the Senate scheduling decisions and the results of agreements negotiated with the Minority Leader.
To consult with the Speaker of the House in arranging joint sessions and events.
To represent the Senate on ceremonial occasions.
To host special events on behalf of the Senate.
To provide hospitality and welcome to official visitors to the Senate.
Responsibilities which the Majority and Minority Leader share:
They are elected by their respective party colleagues to be the spokesman for their party on the Senate floor, and to the outside world.
They are charged with maintaining a working relationship with the leader of the other party and negotiating procedural agreements with the other side.
Each leader seeks to define his party’s policy agenda and priorities in constant consultation with his party colleagues in the Senate.
Each leader monitors or assigns others to monitor floor proceedings continuously during each day the Senate is in session to ensure that the party’s procedural rights are protected..
Each leader initiates the strategy sessions within his party to deliberate over and decide upon response options to floor maneuvering by the other side.
The leader who shares the same party of the President’s Administration acts as its chief liaison in the Senate.
Each leader stays in continuous contact with his party’s senior Member on each Senate committee and works to coordinate their work to best serve the interests of the party’s agenda overall.
Each leader seeks to encourage unity among his party’s Senators.
Each party leader is tasked with reconciling personal and policy differences among Senators on his side of the aisle.
