Vocabulary

Appropriations Bill: A bill which provides the authority needed by the government to spend U.S. Treasury funds.

bill: A legislative proposal which would make law if it passes both the House and Senate and if it receives Presidential approval.

constituents: A group of citizensrepresented by an elected official and living in his or her specific district.

incumbent: An official who currently holds an elected office.

law: Legislation passed by both the House and Senate in identical form and signed by the President or passed over his veto.

Public Laws: Those laws which affect the nation as a whole.

Private Laws: Those laws whichaffect only one individual or legal entity (such as a single corporation).

lobbyists: Individuals who represent the causes of a group, organization, association, or industry — or just themselves — and express those views to Members of Congress and congressional committees considering legislation in their areas of interest. Lobbyists must formally register with the Clerk of the House and Secretary of the Senate and reveal how much money they spent in lobbying.

omnibus bills: Legislation which packages together several measures into one bill or combines diverse subjects into a single bill. Examples are budget reconciliation bills, combined appropriations bills, and private relief and claims bills.

partisan: P artial to a particular political party (as in the term “partisan politics”). Also, a person who is partial to a particular political party.

pork-barrel spending: The term began as a political reference in the post-Civil War era. It comes from the plantation practice of distributing rations of salt pork to slavesfrom wooden barrels. When used to describe a bill, it implies the legislation is loaded with special projects for Members of Congress to distribute to their constituents back home, courtesy of the federal taxpayer.

public policy: A decision, law, or otheraction of government that addresses problems and issues. Some policies are passed into laws, and some policies are contained in rules and regulations.

soft money: Unlimited donations to the political parties from corporations, labor unions, and wealthy individuals. The parties may use this money to promote candidates or finance party projects, such as political conventions.

town meeting: Town meetings are scheduled in one or more towns whenever a Representative or Senator travels back to his or her district or state. Town meetings are held to give constituents an opportunity to hear the Member speak about his or her activities and voting record in Washington, D.C., and a chance for the general public to ask questions, state their own views, or ask for assistance from their elected representative.

Teaching Suggestions

Lee Hamilton’s Comments on Congress: Public Criticisms of Congress can be used to teach students in grades 7 through 12 about representative democracy and the role of Congress. Below are some ideas on how you can use Lee Hamilton’s Comments on Congress 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.

Criticisms of Congress in the News

Have students read Lee Hamilton’s Comments on Congress. Explain to students that these commentaries address only some of the criticisms people have of Congress. Tell students to read newspapers, magazines, or online news sources and identify some public criticisms of Congress. Have students respond to these criticisms. Discuss how public criticisms influence people’s opinion about Congress. Ask students whether or not the public criticisms identified in newspapers, magazines, or online news sources changed their attitudes towards Congress.

Debating the Validity of Criticisms of Congress

Create a list of criticisms addressed in Lee Hamilton’s Comments on Congress. Write these criticisms on the chalkboard, whiteboard, or overhead transparency. Divide the class into small groups. Have each group conduct a debate and argue the validity of the criticisms. Once students have conducted the debates, ask them to read Lee Hamilton’s Comments on Congress. Discuss Lee Hamilton’s response to the public criticisms.

Criticisms from Family and Friends

Have students read Lee Hamilton’s Comments on Congress and discuss the different criticisms. Tell students to interview two family members or friends and find out what criticisms they have of Congress. Ask students to respond to these criticisms.

How Can Congress Be Improved?

Have the class generate a list of criticisms they have of Congress. Write this list on a chalkboard, whiteboard, or overhead transparency. Talk about why students have these criticisms. Then have students read Lee Hamilton’s Comments on Congress. Discuss Lee Hamilton’s response to the criticisms. H ave students write a paper that describes some of their own criticisms of Congress and explains what changes they would make to ensure that Congress is serving the public good.

Standards

You can address many state standards when you incorporate Lee Hamilton’s Comments on Congress into lessons. Please select your state to view the corresponding standards .

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Lesson Plan Feedback

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