first we hear from senate historian donald ritchie and then incoming senate majority leader mitch mcconnell republican from kentucky. >> thank you for being with us on american history tv. the senate majority leader is not a position in the constitution. how do the job involve? >> we once had a former bigger the health contact us and say why was the president pro tem for in the order of succession but not the majority leader? he is the functional equivalent on the city -- on that side. the speaker of the house is written into the constitution but no mention of a majority or minority leader. that's because the cost -- constitution did not dissipate political parties. i think they thought it would probably happen but they didn't want to encourage political parties of the made no provision for it. for most of the history of the senate we had no majority leader until 1913, there is no majority leader of the senate. there were chairmen of committees that would take care of things on the floor. there was a chairman of the party conference who would come out and open and close things the way they

this is 20 minutes. >> donald ritchie thank you for being with those on american history tv. that's the majority leader is not imposition of the constitution but how do the job if all? >> we once had a former speaker of the house contact us and say why was the president pro tempore in the order of succession but not the majority leader? the speakers of the house seat majority of it as the equivalent. they are equivalent on the senate side. census.gov houses written into the constitution at the president pro tempore is but no mention of majority leader or minority leader is because the constitution did not insist that political parties. i think that that is probably going to happen but they did want to encourage political parties. so they make no provision for it and foremost of the history of the senate we had no majority leader from 1789 until 1913 there was no majority leader in the senate. there were chairmen of committees who would take care of things on the floor. there was a chairman of the party conferences who would come out, open things up and close things the way th

. >> donald ritchie, thank you for being with us on american history tv.ate majority leader is not a position in the constitution. how did the job evolve? >> that puzzles a lot of people. we had a former speaker of the house why is the president pro tempore is second in the position. functional equivalent on the senate side. speaker of the house is written into the constitution and president pro-tempore is. and to mention of majority leader or minority leader. the constitution did not anticipate political parties. they thought it was probably going to happen but they didn't want to encourage political parties so they make no provision for it. and for most of the history of the senate we had no majority leader from 1789 until 1913 there was no majority leader of the senate. there were chairman of committees who would sort of take care of things on the floor. there were chairman of the party conferences and open things up and close things the way they do today but nobody sitting down there in the front row center seat trying to organize what happened on the

. >> donald ritchie, thank you for being with us on "american history tv."sition in the constitution. how did the job evolve? >> that puzzles a lot of people. we once had a former speaker of the house contact us and say i was a president pro tem in the order of succession but not the majority leader. the speakers of the house see the speaker as the functional equivalent on the senate side. the speaker of the house is written into the constitution, and the president pro temporary is. no majority leader or minority leader, and that's because the constitution did not anticipate political parties. i think they thought that it was probably going to happen but they didn't want to encourage political parties. so they make no provision for it. and for most of the history of the senate we had no majority leader, from 1789 until 1913, there was no majority leader in the senate. there were chairman of committees who would sort of take care of things on the floor. there were the chairman of the party conferences who would come out and open things up and close things the

. >> donald ritchie, thank you very much. >> my pleasure. >>> the 114th congress gavels in tomorrow atoofr eastern. we'll see the election for house speaker. you can see the house live on c-span and the senate live on c-span2. and with the new congress you'll have the best access the most extensive coverage anywhere. track the gop as it leads on capitol hill. and have your say as events unfold on tv, radio and on the web. >>> the u.s. supreme court heard oral argument last month in a case on what accommodations employers must provide to their pregnant employees. a pregnant u.p.s. driver was denied a light-duty assignment after her doctor advised her to avoid lifting anything heavier than 20 pounds. she took extended unpaid lead and lost her employer medical coverage. after giving birth she sued sunday!b0 the 1978 pregnancy agent. this oral argument lasts about an hour.x?t >> case 121226, young versus united parcel service. mr. bagenstos. >> may it please the court if peggy young had sought accommodation for a 20-pound lifting restriction that resulted from any number of conditions, whe

. >> donald ritchie thank you for being with us on american history tv.ate majority leader is not a decision the constitution but how did they live off? >> why was the president pro tempore and the order of succession but not majority leader? the speakers speakers of the house who have been the majority leader as their equivalent on the senate side. the speaker that has as written into the constitution and the president pro tempore is that no mention of the majority leader or a a minority leader that's because the constitution did not anticipate political parties. i think they thought there was going to happen but they didn't want to encourage encourage political party so they made no provision for it. for most of the history of the senate we have no majority leader from 1789 until 1913. there was no majority leader in the senate. there was chairman of the committees who would take care of things on the floor. there was a chairman of the party conferences who would come out in open things up and close things the way they do today but nobody is sitting in