Current Bills in Congress

Good Morning and Happy Monday -

Having just finished looking into and better understanding how an individual thought can become a law (and the process it takes) a natural next step seemed to be looking into a few bills that are currently being considered in Congress.  Using the Thomas Web site (http://thomas.loc.gov/home/thomas.php) choose several bills which are currently being considered in Congress or that have been proposed but not acted upon by Congress. You can find some valuable information as well at onopencongress.org under “Bills”.  Ultimately, you will select one bill. Research the bill and respond to the following questions.

• Who are the authors of the bill?
• What is the purpose and intent of the bill?
• Which interest groups have a stake in the outcome of this bill and why?
• Is this bill promoting the common good of the country, the special interest of a select group, or perhaps even harming the common good of the country? Explain
• Which committee or committees are hearing the bill?
• Is support for the bill divided along political party lines, and if so, why?
• Who is the chairperson of the committee and who is the ranking member of the minority party on the committee(s) which will hear the bill?
• How many members does each committee have, and how are they divided among the two political parties?
• In closing, state and describe the key arguments for and against the bill in your own words. How will this impact you and your community?  

Following your write-up, you will be asked to briefly summarize the key elements of the bill you have chosen.  You may be interested in looking into what some of our local congresspeople have either authored or supported (Diane Feinstein, Barbara Boxer, Jackie Speier, Anna Eshoo) but that is not at all a requirement.

Thanks!