Exploring Congress; How it Works

AP GOV CLASSWORK DIRECTIONS:

1.     Imagine that you are someone who is SUPER INTERESTED in understanding how Congress actually works as an institution that produces policy (legislation/laws)! Begin thinking about what you’d like to know.

3.     In a new tab, Go to https://www.govtrack.us/  

4.     Take time to familiarize yourself with this website, observing the categories available to you for research, and the different ways you can explore the way Congress works.

5.     Keep in mind three primary goals:

a.     Investigate a bill:  Read a summary of an actual bill, review its history, and read at least some of the text of a bill to get a sense of its length and language.  You should also learn who sponsored the bill, and what committee it came out of, as well as its current status.

b.     Get to know a member of Congress (House or Senate), so that you can characterize their congressional work. Learn about his/her “report card” and discover how members are evaluated/ranked in terms of their effectiveness.

c.     DEMONSTRATE INTELLECTUAL CURIOSITY. 

6.     After you’ve learned some things, write (on your blog) a summary/description of your exploration of congress. Include discussion of what you found out, things that surprised, and new questions that occur to you. 

7.     Include an image, and publish your post, with links.

My Bill:

     S.Res. 109: A resolution acknowledging and honoring brave young men from Hawaii who enabled      the United States to establish and maintain jurisdiction in remote equatorial islands as prolonged      conflict in the Pacific led to World War II.

Sponsor: Brian Schatz 

- Senator in Hawaii 

- Democrat

- serving for 5 years

- only missed 50 votes out of 657 as a senator freshman (highest missed votes- 7.6%)

- very progressive

- very low with bipartisan bills

- gets bills out of the committee fast but he also doesn't have big bills- the one he got through quickly was something everyone would have wanted- resolution to basically salut the hawaiian armies

- not a leader and he is not a cosponsor

- he is the highest senator to cosponsor bills

- doesn't do a lot of work in the house

- not very good at getting laws passed 

This is Senator Brian Schatz
of Hawaii

Bill was introduced in March 24 and it was agreed on May 21 in the same year.
What the bill says:

That the Senate—

(1)

acknowledges the accomplishments and commends the service of the Hui Panala'au colonists;

(2)

acknowledges the local, national, and international significance of the 7-year colonization project, which resulted in the United States extending sovereignty into the Equatorial Pacific;

(3)

recognizes the dedication to the United States and self-reliance demonstrated by the young men, the majority of whom were Native Hawaiian, who left their homes and families in Hawaii to participate in the Equatorial Pacific colonization project;

(4)

extends condolences on behalf of the United States to the families of Carl Kahalewai, Joseph Keliihananui, and Richard Whaley for the loss of their loved ones in the service of the United States;

(5)

honors the young men whose actions, sacrifices, and valor helped secure and maintain the jurisdiction of the United States over equatorial islands in the Pacific Ocean during the years leading up to and the months immediately following the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the entry of the United States into World War II; and

(6)

extends to all of the colonists, and to the families of these exceptional young men, the deep appreciation of the people of the United States.