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ABOUT THE MAJORITY LEADER

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The Majority Leader's Role

The Majority Leader is the second-ranking official in the United States House of Representatives.  Congressman Steny Hoyer, who represents Maryland's Fifth Congressional District, was elected House Majority Leader by the Democratic Caucus on November 16, 2006.

History of the Majority Leader

The Office of the House Majority Leader was created in 1899, by then House Speaker David B. Henderson.  Speaker Henderson felt that a new leadership position in the House was necessary due to the growing day-to-day responsibilities and national prominence associated with the position of House Speaker.

When creating the position, Henderson also noted the fact that the House membership had grown significantly in the 1800s - membership had grown from 105 in 1800 to 356 by century's end - and pointed to the fact that the existence of the Majority Leader also made it possible for the House Speaker to criticize his or her own party when necessary.

The Majority Leader Today

Today, the House Majority Leader is chosen by the majority party's membership prior to the launch of a new Congress.  While the responsibilities of the Majority Leader are largely defined by little more than history and tradition, there are certain duties that now customarily fall under the Leader's purview.  These responsibilities include the scheduling of legislation for Floor consideration and the planning of daily, weekly and annual legislative agendas.

In addition to more formal obligations, the Majority Leader is also expected to consult with members to gauge attitudes and prevailing sentiment on the issues of the day, urge party colleagues to support or defeat a particular piece of legislation and communicate the party's overarching policy messages to the media and public at large.

The Majority Leader is also responsible for closely monitoring Floor activities, especially those of the opposition party's parliamentary maneuvers.