Facts : 1 Party functions The minority leader has a number of formal and informal party responsibilities
Facts : 2 Formally, the rules of each party specify certain roles and responsibilities for their leader
Facts : 3 For example, under Democratic rules for the 106th Congress, the minority leader may call meetings of the Democratic Caucus
Facts : 4 He or she is a member of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee; names the members of the Democratic Leadership Council; chairs the Policy Committee; and heads the Steering Committee
Facts : 5 Examples of other assignments are making recommendations to the Speaker on all Democratic Members who shall serve as conferees and nominating party members to the Committees on Rules and House Administration
Facts : 6 Republican rules identify generally comparable functions for their top party leader
Facts : 7 He is instrumental in guiding legislation favored by his party through the House, or in resisting those programs of the other party that are considered undesirable by his own party
Facts : 8 He is instrumental in devising and implementing his party s strategy on the floor with respect to promoting or opposing legislation
Facts : 9 He is kept constantly informed as to the status of legislative business and as to the sentiment of his party respecting particular legislation under consideration
Facts : 10 Such information is derived in part from the floor leader s contacts with his party s members serving on House committees, and with the members of the party s whip organization
Facts : 11 These and several other party roles merit further mention because they influence significantly the leader s overarching objective: retake majority control of the House
Facts : 12 I want to get [my] members elected and win more seats, said Minority Leader Richard Gephardt, D-MO
Facts : 13 That s what [my partisan colleagues] want to do, and that s what they want me to do
Facts : 14 Five activities illustrate how minority leaders seek to accomplish this primary goal
Facts : 15 Minority leaders are typically energetic and aggressive campaigners for partisan incumbents and challengers
Facts : 16 There is hardly any major aspect of campaigning that does not engage their attention
Facts : 17 For example, they assist in recruiting qualified candidates; they establish leadership PACs to raise and distribute funds to House candidates of their party; they try to persuade partisan colleagues not to retire or run for other offices so as to