noun, plural subsidies. 1. a direct pecuniary aid furnished by a government to a private industrial undertaking, a charity organization, or the like. 2. a sum paid, often in accordance with a treaty, by one government to another to secure some service in return. 3. a grant or contribution of money.
Brady Postma, No expertise, just good arguments. The Speaker of the House is clearly the most powerful position in the US House of Representatives. The Senate Majority Leader is, in most senses, the most powerful person in the US Senate.
Other House leaders, such as the majority and minority leaders, are elected by their respective party caucuses relative to their party's strength in the House. The current Speaker of the House is Democrat Frank Chopp (D-Seattle) of the 43rd Legislative District. The Speaker Pro Tempore is Jim Moeller (D-Vancouver) of the 49th Legislative District. The Majority Leader is Pat Sullivan (D-Covington) of the 47th Legislative District.