2302+M2+Week+3

Week Three Nov 3 - 7**
 * GOVT 2302


 * Current Issues in the Legislature**

After the initial development of the legislative branch, the institution changed in various ways. Parties and committees evolved, and the size of the institutions grew as the country grew. In this section we will consider issues that are unique to the contemporary Congress and Texas Legislature.

One way to do so is to get you comfortable with who your representatives are (at least prior to the election results), what they do and how they do it. This requires that you find out who in fact represents you in the national and state levels and what their priorities are. Another way to understand how the process works internally is to find out how bills becaome laws, both in theory and in actuality.

The assignments below focus on each.


 * Reading and Resources:**

- [|The U.S. House] - [|The U.S. Senate] - [|The Texas Legislature] - The Library of Congress: [|Thomas] - The Texas Legislature: [|Who Represents Me]? - Thomas: [|How Our Laws Are Made].


 * Assignments:**

Write two 300 word answers to the following:

1 - Go to "Who Represents me?" and find out who represents you. Go to their websites (look at the links above) and provide me with specific information about how they represent you. Discuss what committees are they on, the legislation they introduce, the public statements they make, or anything else that seems appropriate. Also tell me how you might contact them and what services they offer you.

2 - Since the Texas Legislature is meeting, I want you to get familiar with the bill making process [|by looking at the following link]. I also want you to peruse through the bills introduced in the Texas Legislature, select one and [|track the process it has taken through the legislature]. You may want to read through news sources to select bills that are especially topical.

Due: April 5 email your answers to me.