Congressional Caucus

One prominent example of a congressional caucus is the Congressional Black Caucus , a group of African-American members of Congress. In early United States History, the Congressional Nominating Caucus and Congressional Legislative Caucus were influential meetings of congressmen to decide the party's nominiee for President and legislative policy. Similar caucuses were held by the parties at state level.

RULES

The U.S. House Committee On House Administration proscribes certain rules for Congressional Member Organizations (presumably, similar rules apply to members of the U.S. Senate). The Members' Congressional Handbook , lists the following rules:

General

Members of Congress may form a Congressional Member Organization (CMO) in order to pursue common legislative objectives.

Registration

Each Congress, CMOs must register with the Committee on House Administration.

CMOs must provide the following information:
:1. Name
:2. Statement of Purpose
:3. Officers of the CMO
:4. Employee designated to work on issues related to the CMO

Membership

Members of both the House and Senate may participate in CMO, but at least one of the Officers of the CMO must be a Member of the House. The participation of Senators in a CMO does not impact the scope of authorized CMO activities in any regard.

Funding and Resources

CMOs have no separate corporate or legal identity. A CMO is not an employing authority. The MRA may not directly support a CMO as an independent entity. A CMO may not be assigned separate office space.

Neither CMOs nor individual Members may accept goods, funds, or services from private organizations or individuals to support the CMO. Members may use personal funds to support the CMO.

A Member of a CMO, in support of the objectives of that CMO, may utilize employees (including shared employees) and official resources under the control of the Member to assist the CMO in carrying out its legislative objectives, but no employees may be appointed in the name of a CMO.

Communications

CMOs may not use the Frank, nor may a Member lend his or her Frank to a CMO.

A Member may use official resources for communications related to the purpose of a CMO. Any such communications must comply with the Franking Regulations.

Members may devote a section of their official Web site to CMO issues, but CMOs may not have independent Web pages.

A Member may use inside mail to communicate information related to a CMO.

Members may prepare material related to CMO issues for dissemination.

Official funds may not be used to print or pay for stationery for the CMO.

Members may refer to their membership in a CMO on their official stationery.

''Source: Committee on House Administration

CURRENT LIST OF CAUCUSES

This is the complete list of Congressional Member Organizations of the 109th United States Congress as listed by the U.S. House Committee On House Administration . (For earlier CMOS, see 107th Congress and 108th Congress ). Other current caucuses, not listed with the Committee on House Administration, are included at the end.

2015 Caucus