Official Congressional Directory in United States

Practical Information

It is a listing of the names and addresses of officials associated with the federal government, including members of the press. The directory, published by the U.S. Government Printing Office, also contains biographical data on each member of Congress and maps of congressional districts. The directory is usually issued at least once during each session of Congress.

Officers of the Congress

The Constitution provides that the vice president shall be president of the Senate. He or she has no vote, except in the case of a tie. The Senate chooses a president pro tempore to preside when the vice president is absent. The House of Representatives chooses its own presiding officer — the speaker of the House. The speaker and the president pro tempore are always members of the political party with the largest representation in each house.
At the beginning of each new Congress, members of the political parties select floor leaders and other officials to manage the flow of proposed legislation. These officials, along with the presiding officers and committee chairmen, exercise strong influence over the making of laws. (1)

Resources

Notes and References

1. “An outline of American government” (1980), by Richard C. Schroeder