In this assignment, students will Identify their lawmakers (legislators) at the federal and state level, including their party affiliation, their policy priorities, and their contact information Learn the steps of the legislative process and trace the legislative history of a proposed bill Specifically students will:
1. Identify who represents you (your district) to the US Senate and the US House of Representatives, using this website: Common Cause: Find your lawmakers: Identify their names and which legislative body they are in (House or Senate) Identify each of their political parties Select ONE of these people and identify one of his/her policy or legislative priorities related to social welfare policy
2. Identify who represents you (your district) to the STATE legislature, using this website Open States: Find your legislators Identify their names (there should be at least 2 people, but each state differs), and which legislative body they are in (each state has different names for their legislatures; e.g. in NJ there is the State Senate and the State Assembly) Identify each of their political parties Select ONE of these people and find ONE bill/statute that he/she proposed or supported related to social welfare policy. Trace that bill’s or proposal’s legislative history was it enacted? Where is the bill now? What ideological perspective on social welfare policy (individualist vs. collectivist) does this bill reflect and explain how?