The ranking member is the second-in-command or minority leader of a congressional or legislative committee. They may have additional duties and are typically the most senior member of the committee. They may act as a whip to determine party votes and may invite individuals to testify. They may also serve as a vice chair and lead meetings in the absence of the president. However, they have limited power compared to the chairman and each member gets one vote.
A ranking member is a member of a congressional committee or legislative committee who is second-in-command, or perhaps is the minority leader on the committee. In some cases, the term classified minority member is used to differentiate who is in the minority, but this may not always be the case, depending on standard practices for the state or country. This member may not have all of the duties of the president, but may still have some additional duties to perform.
Typically, the ranking member designation is conferred on the most senior member of the committee, if that person is not the chair. If the president is the most senior member, the title is often given to the second most senior member. However, this is not a hard and fast rule. Ranking member status may be conferred on individuals because they may have some first-hand experience with certain issues that make their contributions to the committee more valuable.
One of the most common duties a ranking member will perform is to deal with other members of his or her party to determine where the votes stand on a given issue. Throughout the legislature, this person is known as a “whip.” In a committee there is no whip because it is a much more intimate experience. The committee stage is where much of the legislative action takes place, such as testimony and other legislative hearings. The ranking member may be responsible for inviting or providing some of these individuals.
In some cases, the senior member of a committee may also serve as a vice chair. In the absence of the president, it is up to this member to lead the meeting of the committee. This may be a largely procedural matter, but the individual may have the power to delay at least one vote on an issue until the president can return and make a more permanent decision.
As with any committee procedure, the ranking member does not have much power in relation to the other members. The chairman can often unilaterally raise or stop a matter in the committee, but this is not a privilege often extended to ranking members. Each committee member gets one vote, but the ranking member may be able to influence others more easily, by threatening to get others to vote one way or another on an issue. New lawmakers can be particularly receptive to the position of an older member.
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