The Legislative Process

Catalog description

As the first branch of the government, Congress is the heart of political power at the federal level. While Congress has become known for its partisan infighting and resulting gridlock, it is still the arena in which politicians and their networks fight to pass bills that will help their home districts and communities. Following POLS1100, this course is designed to take a closer look at political actors’ incentives at various stages of the legislative process. Throughout this course, students will engage in several in-class simulations to research and debate student-written bills. Students will be able to use their experience in the simulation to research a bill in the current session of Congress and recommend solutions for how to overcome the bill’s sticking points in the legislative process. Students will develop skills that are necessary to become effective participants on Capitol Hill.