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Congressional Moments
Overview
Most people don’t stop to think about the role of government in their lives. However, if you take a minute to think about your daily activities, you will discover that government impacts your life more than you probably realize. Through the years Members of Congress have identified problems in our society, discussed and debated possible solutions, and enacted legislation that addressed the issues. Although it has certainly made missteps, Congress overall has made a difference, improved the quality of lives for individuals, and strengthened the nation.
The Congressional Moment Radio Series describes some notable legislative achievements and explains how Acts of Congress have affected our lives. A description of each Congressional Moment radio program is listed below.
Clicking on the link for any program will take you to a page with links. To listen to the radio program, click the PLAY button. You can also read the script of the Congressional Moment program, read the Background Memo, or print and view some teaching suggestions.
Title IX: Women's Athletics
This Congressional Moment describes Title Nine of the Education Amendments of 1972, which requires high schools and colleges that receive federal funding to end gender discrimination in educational activities.
Interstate Highway System
In this Congressional Moment you will hear how an Act of Congress, the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956, created the nation’s extensive system of interstate highways, a boost to commerce and travel.
Age Discrimination
This Congressional Moment describes how the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 improved the lives of older Americans by stating that all employment decisions must have a legitimate basis and cannot be based on age alone.
Voting Rights
This Congressional Moment discusses the Voting Rights Act of 1965 — an act that guaranteed minorities the right to vote by giving the federal government oversight of the election process in problematic areas of the country.
Homeless Assistance
This Congressional Moment describes how Congressman Stewart McKinney of Connecticut influenced other Members of Congress in 1987 to pass legislation that would provide homeless Americans with emergency shelters, health care, job training, and education.
IDEA: Education for Children with Disabilities
This Congressional Moment discusses the origin of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997, which guarantee free and appropriate public education for children with disabilities in the least restrictive environment possible.
GI Bill
This Congressional Moment explains how the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, known as the “GI Bill of Rights.” provided higher-education assistance to veterans and describes how the late Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan used the GI Bill to improve his life.
Disaster Relief
This Congressional Moment explains why the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), established by Executive Order in 1979, was created and the role it plays today.
Bilingual Education
This Congressional Moment describes the Bilingual Education Act, which was the first official federal legislation recognizing the specific needs of students with limited English-speaking ability.
Child Labor
In this Congressional Moment you will hear about the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, which ended the exploitation of children in the workplace in the United States .
Immigration Reform
This Congressional Moment discusses the Simpson-Mazzoli Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1984, which was passed to address the difficult problem of illegal aliens living in the United States.
National Cancer Act of 1971
This Congressional Moment explains why the National Cancer Institute was established and expanded to include new cancer research centers and a national cancer database.
Environmental Protection
In this Congressional Moment you will find out why Congress was shut down on April 22, 1970 , and how the result was the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency.
Background Memos
You will find a Background Memo for each Congressional Moment. The Background Memos provide more detailed information, including legislative histories of the acts discussed in the Congressional Moment programs.
Teaching Suggestions
The Congressional Moment radio programs can be used to teach students in grades five through high school about the role government plays in our lives. These programs can also be incorporated in lessons about representative democracy and the legislative process. Below are some ideas on how you can use Congressional Moments in your classroom. These suggestions span a range of subjects and skill levels, so not every idea will apply to your situation. Choose what works best for your students.
The Role of Congress
Distribute copies of the Constitution. Ask students to read Article I and identify the powers delegated to Congress in the Constitution. Tell students that the Constitution lists the powers of Congress, but it does not define the exact duties of a Member of Congress. Have students read “The Many Roles of a Member of Congress.” Discuss the duties and responsibilities of a Member of Congress. Then have students name some ways they think Congress impacts their own lives. Explain to students that through the years Congress has enacted many laws that contribute to the well-being and safety of citizens. Have students listen to the Congressional Moments radio programs and learn about some of the laws Congress has passed.
Setting the Public Agenda
Have each student write down two or three problems in the community or at the state or national
levels that they think Congress should address. Remind them that Congress passes legislation at the federal — not the state or local — level, which means that their recommendations would impact the entire nation. Compile these problems into a list and write this list on a chalkboard, whiteboard, or overhead transparency. There should be a fairly wide range of possibilities arising from this discussion, even though students might be from a fairly similar set of backgrounds whose diversity might not approach the diversity of the population in our country. Explain to students that setting the policy agenda is a challenge for legislators in Congress because they represent diverse communities. Then ask students to listen to the Congressional Moment radio programs and learn about some of the public issues Congress addressed in the past.
Coming to a Consensus
Explain to students that legislators must work with a diverse group of people who represent different interests and eventually come to some type of agreement. Choose one issue from a Congressional Moment radio program and present it to the class. Separate the students into small groups. Have each group represent one of the following: a specific interest group, a political party, a specific U.S. Senator or Representative, other state or local officials, and executive branch departments. Each group should learn more about its viewpoint of the issue and develop a list of goals and needs in regards to the issue. S eparate students into new groups. Each group should have a member from each of the groups established earlier. Have the groups come to a consensus and develop a solution to the problem. Students should argue their case but also be willing to compromise in order to meet the end goal: a bill that can continue through the process to become a law. Have each group present its solution to the class. Then ask students to listen to the Congressional Moment radio program and learn how Congress addressed the issue.
Get Involved!
Discuss the role of citizens in a representative democracy. As a class, generate a list of ways citizens can influence public policy. Divide the class into small groups and assign each group a different Congressional Moment. Ask each group to listen to the assigned radio program and read the corresponding background memo. Have each group conduct research to find out how individuals and groups influenced legislators to pass laws that addressed the issue. Allow all the groups to present their findings. Then have each group identify a problem in the community that requires a public policy solution, gather and evaluate information about the problem, develop a justifiable solution to the problem, and think of ways that legislators can be influenced to pass a law or that government officials can be convinced to develop a policy.
Impact of Government
Have students listen to the Congressional Moment radio programs and read the accompanying background memos. Then tell students to visit the Brookings Institute Web site and read Government’s 50 Greatest Endeavors, which can be found using the search box. Discuss how government impacts our lives. Ask students to identify five Acts of Congress they think have had the most impact on their own lives. Have students create a display that describes the five acts and explains how they have impacted their own lives.
The Influence of Public Opinion
Tell students to choose one Congressional Moment radio program. Then ask students to go to the local library or conduct a search on the Internet and read archived newspaper articles about the issue. Have students find out what public opinion polls said about the issue. Ask students to determine whether or not Congress did what public opinion seemed to favor. Discuss the influence of public opinion on the development of public policy and the political process. Explain to students that, on a daily basis, legislators are approached by individuals and interests groups with differing views about how they should vote on a bill. They never hear total agreement on an issue. Legislators carefully consider individual views and public opinion polls, but they also study issues and reach their own conclusions about what is best for their constituents, their local region, and the nation.
Standards
You can address many state standards when you incorporate the Congressional Moment radio programs into lessons. Please select your state to view the corresponding standards .
Please select your state to view the corresponding standards:
Lesson Plan Feedback
If you have suggestions for improving this lesson plan, or if you have ideas for others using the module, please let us know. We value your input. Thank you!