Schneider, Judy

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1 In the last 25 years, the Republican whip position was contested twice: in 1980, when then Rep.Trent Lott defeated Rep. Bud Shuster (96-90); and, in 1989, when Rep. Newt Gingrich defeated(continued...)Congressional Research Service ˜ The Library of CongressCRS Report for CongressReceived through the CRS WebOrder Code RS20499Updated February 12, 2002House Leadership: Whip OrganizationJudy SchneiderSpecialist on the CongressGovernment and Finance DivisionThe whip system performs two primary functions: to take responsibility for themobilization of party Members for key votes and to serve as a conduit for informationbetween party leaders and party Members. Role and ResponsibilityVote Mobilization. The chief responsibility of the whip is to “count heads.”  Thewhips help their respective party leaders keep track of the whereabouts of Members inorder to assist in the scheduling of legislation, in the case of the majority, or in the planningof opposition tactics, in the case of the minority. Whips also “whip up” support for a party position.  They try to build voting coalitionsfrom disparate groups of party Members.  They work with the other party leaders tofashion legislation that party Members will support.  The whip is also expected to “get outthe vote,” by making sure that Members will be present on the floor during close votes.Often, whips are stationed at the door leading to the chamber with “thumbs up” or“thumbs down” to indicate the party preference on the matter being voted on.Information Dissemination. As part of an information dissemination function, whipsprepare “advisories” to provide daily, weekly, monthly, and even yearly schedules.  Thesenotices address what measures are anticipated on the floor, the time for convening andexpected adjournment of the chamber, and when, and on what amendments, votes mightoccur.  Issue papers are also often provided by a whip office, although they are generallyprepared in conjunction with the party caucus or conference.  “Recess packets” aregenerated prior to a district work period, giving party Members information on majorpoints the party wants stressed while the Members are at home.Whip OrganizationHouse Republicans have always had an elected whip.  The Democrats appointed theirwhip until 1986; from then on, the position has been an elected one.1  Each whip is aidedCRS-21 (...continued)Rep. Edward Madigan (87-85).  The Democratic whip position was contested in 1991, when Rep.David Bonior defeated Rep. Steny Hoyer (160-109), and in 2001, when Rep. Nancy Pelosi defeatedRep. Steny Hoyer (118-95).by a large whip organization.  The majority and minority whips are assisted by  appointedchief deputies. The  Republicans have one chief deputy whip,  the Democrats have six.Assistant, or at-large, whips are usually appointed by the whip or party leadership.Assistant whips often represent classes of Members, such as the freshmen class or thewomen Members. Regional whips, also referred to as zone whips, are elected by Memberswithin a geographic region.  The following table depicts the formal and official party whip structure.  It does notinclude informal whip positions that Members may acquire due to their affiliation withgroups of Members.Type of Whip Democrat RepublicanChief Deputy Whip 6 1Deputy Whips 12 17Assistant Whip 49At-Large Whip 70Regional Whip 24HistoryThe “whipper in” is a British term for the person responsible for keeping thefoxhounds from leaving the pack.  It was first used in the House of Commons in the late1700s and in the House of Representatives in 1897, when James A. Tawney (R-Minn.)was appointed a whip by Speaker Thomas Reed (R-Maine) to help Reed keep track of thewhereabouts of party Members.  A Democratic whip was appointed soon thereafter, withmost historical accounts setting the date as 1901. The whip, and an official whiporganization, was first extensively used in the 1930s, when Democrats chose “assistantwhips” to be responsible for Members from specified geographic areas or zones.  In 1955, Democrats created a deputy whip position, specifically for one Member,although the job did not have defined responsibilities.  A Democratic chief deputy whipposition was created in 1972;  the Democrats appointed four deputy whips in 1981.  In1992, four chief deputy whips were appointed by the Democratic leadership.  In 2002, twoadditional chief deputy whips were appointed.  The leadership also appointed numerousdeputy and at-large whips. Today, there are both appointed and elected whips,representing regions, classes of Members, groups of Members (such as women, Hispanics,and African Americans), and others.The Republican whip organization has historically not received as much scholarly orpress attention as the Democratic whip organization. It appears that the Republican whiporganization was not as structured or formalized as the Democratic whip organization untilthe Republicans assumed the House majority in 1995.

House Leadership: Whip Organization

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House Leadership: Whip Organization

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