[Deschler's Precedents]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access]
[DOCID:52093c03_txt-3]
[Page 148-149]
CHAPTER 3
Party Organization
B. PARTY CAUCUS OR CONFERENCE
Sec. 2. In General; Nature and Purposes
The primary party organizations in the House are the Democratic
Caucus and the Republican Conference. Generally, the Democratic Caucus
is composed of all Democratic Members of the House,(7) and
the Republican Conference is composed of all Republican
Members.(8) The main functions of the two party
organizations are to promote unity; to determine party policy with
respect to anticipated legislation; to select their respective
candidates for the Speakership and other offices in the House; to
choose party leaders; and to play a role in selecting party members for
positions on
[[Page 149]]
House committees. These functions are discussed in detail in succeeding
sections.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
7. See Rule 1, Democratic Caucus Rules (July 20, 1971).
8. See Riddick, Floyd M., Congressional Procedure, Chapman and Grimes
(Boston, 1941), p. 31.
Collateral references: Binkley, Wilfred Ellsworth, American
Political Parties; Their Natural History, 4th edition, rev.,
Alfred A. Knoph Co. (New York, 1972); Fine, Nathan, Labor and
Farmer Parties in the United States, 1828-1928, Russell and
Russell (New York, 1961); Haynes, Frederick E., Third Party
Movements Since the Civil War, Russell and Russell (New York,
1966); Hesseltine, William B., Third Party Movements in the
United States, Van Nostrand (Princeton, N.J., 1962); Hicks,
John Donald, The Populist Revolts; A History of the Farmers'
Alliance and the People's Party, University of Nebraska Press
(Lincoln, 1961); Nash, Howard Pervear, Third Parties in
American Politics, Public Affairs Press (Washington, D.C.,
1959); Ripley, Randall B., Party Leaders in the House of
Representatives, The Brookings Institution (Washington, 1967)
pp. 41-46 (development of party caucuses); Steadman, Murry
Salisbury and Susan W. Stedman, Discontent at the Polls; A
Study of Farmer and Labor Parties, 1827-1948, Russell and
Russell (New York, 1967).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------