The Dynamic Legislative Process

The typical textbook description of the legislative process, though technically valid in some respects, is woefully inadequate in describing the fascinating, vibrant, often "messy" reality of how a bill becomes law. This module allows you to compare the typical textbook process with the more realistic "dynamic" process, and you will see how our untidy process has produced solid results.

How a Member Decides to Vote

Members of Congress have many influences to draw upon when deciding how to vote for a bill: their conscience, input from constituents, party loyalty, and perhaps, pressure from the administration. In this module, you are a Member of Congress who will soon have to vote on a proposed Constitutional amendment to ban flag desecration. You will meet with all of the types of people who typically try to influence your thinking on a bill, including Members of your party, constituents, special interests, and the administration.

Federal Budget Allocation

One of Congress' major responsibilities is providing funds for federal programs. This activity allows you to try your hand at allocating the federal budget. You will first be asked how much money you think was allocated to categories such as defense, welfare, and the environment. Then you will see how much money Congress actually provided. Next, you will decide how the budget SHOULD be allocated, and then compare your spending priorities to those of other students.

Public Criticisms of Congress

In the Public Criticisms module, you will hear many of the common criticisms of Congress via "man on the street" videos. You will then be able to hear what some Congressional experts have to say about those criticisms. You will vote on whether you agree or disagree with what the public and the experts are saying, and see how other users voted on the criticisms. There are additional research resources and polling data for each of the 15 criticisms.