Congressional Simulation - January 4-19
You will participate in a simulation designed to give you an idea of the workings of Congress. Since this is only a simulation, this will be a modified experience. Your grade will be determined by some required activities, and how successful you are in passing legislation.
Pre-simulation activities:
- Blind draw for state, political party, and committee (Wednesday, 1/4, after 1st semester final)
- Research what your committee does. Write up a summary of your political values based on your state, party, and the interest groups that influence you (Friday, Jan 6)
- Committee chairpersons selected (Friday, 1/6)
- Vote for House/Senate leadership positions (Friday, 1/6)
- Write a bill for your committee that conforms to your role (Tuesday, 1/10)
House committees Senate committees
Rules Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
Ways and Means Foreign Relations
Energy and Commerce Energy and Natural Resources
Foreign Affairs Health, Education, Labor, and Pension
Agriculture Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
House: http://www.house.gov/committees/
Senate: http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/committees/d_three_sections_with_teasers/committees_home.htm
Interest groups: http://www.opensecrets.org/cmteprofiles/
Simulation Activities and Points:
- 10 points: What are your legislative goals and current platform based on your state and political party? What interest groups influence you? (Write-up due on Google Group Jan. 6)
- 10 points: Write a bill that would change a law in a way that your state and political party and interest group influences would agree with. How will your bill change the law? How does it benefit your constituents? How does it line up with your party platform? Why would interest groups like it? (Paper copy of your bill due in class Jan. 10, and it’s all or nothing - on time or 0 points. Half credit if your proposed law does not follow your political beliefs.)
- 5 points: Take an active part in committee hearings. (Jan 10)
- 5 points x 2: Take an active part in full floor debate - PLAY YOUR ROLE! (Jan 17 and 19)
- 5 points: A bill you sponsored or amended passes in committee (maximum of 10 points)
- 5 points x 2: A bill you sponsored or amended passes in House/Senate.
- 20 points: A bill you sponsored or amended is signed by the President.
- 20 points: If the President’s veto is overridden for a bill you sponsored or amended.
Leadership points possible:
10 points: Majority party elects you as Speaker of the House
10 points: Majority party elects you as Majority Leader of the Senate
5 points: Majority party elects you as Whip in House or Senate (two possible in each chamber)
10 points: Minority party elects you as Minority Leader in House or Senate
5 points: Minority party elects you as Whip in the House or Senate (two possible in each chamber)
Bonus points and penalties in the Senate
Your job is to get your party’s legislation passed, and prevent the opposition party’s legislation from being passed. Each Republican will gain 1 point for each bill passed that is sponsored by a Republican, but each Republican will lose 2 points for each bill passed that is sponsored by a Democrat. The same goes for Democrats - plus 1 point for a Democratic bill passed, minus 2 points for each Republican bill passed. Bonus points are doubled for party leadership (plus 2 points for each bill passed by your party) and penalties are doubled as well (minus 4 points for each bill passed by the other party).
Bonus points and penalties in the House
Your job is to maintain party unity, and to disrupt opposition party unity. Each Republican will gain 1 point for each bill passed that is unanimously supported by the Republican caucus, but each Republican will lose 2 points for each bill passed that does not have unanimous Republican support. Each Democrat will gain 1 point for each Republican bill passed that the Democratic caucus is united against, but will lose 2 points for each Republican bill passed that a Democrat crosses the aisle to support. Bonus points are doubled for party leadership and penalties are doubled as well.
Bonus points and penalties in the House AND the Senate
Your job above all else is to play your role - your state, your party, and the interest groups that influence you. This means you will be given bonus points for playing your role well, and you will be penalized for playing your role poorly. EXAMPLE: If you give a floor speech that an interest group that influences you would love, you get a bonus. If you sponsor an amendment that people from your state or district would hate, you get penalized. Simple as that.
Scoring Rubric:
29 points or lower = F
30 to 34 = D
35 to 39 = C
40 to 44 = B
45 points or more = A
House of Representatives - 1st period
- R - Arkansas - Rules - Kilian Jones
- R - Oklahoma - Rules - Emmett Holland
- R - Idaho - Rules - Katy Clark
- R - Texas - Rules - Aedan Hepner
- R - South Dakota - Ways and Means - Izzy Valle
- R - Kansas - Ways and Means - Christina DePinto - SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE
- R - Utah - Ways and Means - Lior Gevurtz
- R - Mississippi - Ways and Means - Eileen Conley
- R - Alaska - Foreign Affairs - Margaret Sherman
- R - Alabama - Foreign Affairs - Cameron Forbes
- R - Nevada - Foreign Affairs - Olivia Hill
- R - South Carolina - Foreign Affairs - Alex Moskowitz
- R - West Virginia - Energy and Commerce - Iris Campbell
- R - Wyoming - Energy and Commerce - Heather Hunt
- R - North Dakota - Energy and Commerce - Katy Zich
- R - Montana - Energy and Commerce - Sam Selis
- R - Nebraska - Agriculture - Ben Cadwell
- R - Iowa - Agriculture - Aujai Webster - WHIP
- R - Kentucky - Agriculture - Lucas Ritter
- R - Louisiana - Agriculture - Hazel Frew - WHIP
- R - Georgia - Agriculture - Lucious Hicks
- D - Maine - Rules - Anita Ruangrotsakun
- D - Washington - Rules - Millie Williams - WHIP
- D - Colorado - Rules - Taiyo Moseler
- D - New York - Ways and Means - Lucas Cansler - WHIP
- D - Illinois - Ways and Means - Celia Lovern
- D - Hawaii - Ways and Means - Sarah Barr - MINORITY LEADER
- D - Connecticut - Agriculture - Liam Dubey
- D - Vermont - Agriculture - Yuri Petty
- D - Rhode Island - Agriculture - Andrew Finkelman
- D - New Mexico - Energy and Commerce - Koby Ridgell
- D - Maryland - Energy and Commerce - Lilly Sasse
- D - California - Energy and Commerce - Allie Day
- D - New Jersey - Foreign Affairs - Cassin Wright
- D - Massachusetts - Foreign Affairs - Violet Dillard
- D - Delaware - Foreign Affairs - Emily Moran
Senate - 3rd period
- R - Pennsylvania - Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs - Brennan Johnson WHIP
- R - Utah - Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs - Mitchell Jillson MAJORITY LEADER
- R - Illinois - Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs - Micah Hollerbach
- R - Georgia - Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs - Nathan Swanson
- R - Arizona - Foreign Affairs - Joshua Franklin-Watnick
- R - Kentucky - Foreign Affairs - Odyssey Wilson
- R - South Carolina - Foreign Affairs - Dylan Palmer
- R - Tennessee - Foreign Affairs - Katie Langdon
- R - Texas - Energy and Natural Resources - Kazuma Fujiwara WHIP
- R - Alaska - Energy and Natural Resources - Gina Boon
- R - South Dakota - Energy and Natural Resources - Maxx Gascoigne
- R - West Virginia - Energy and Natural Resources - Gunnar Behny
- R - North Carolina - Health, Education, Labor, and Pension - Jordan Tom
- R - Florida - Health, Education, Labor, and Pension - Noel Bangsburg
- R - Mississippi - Health, Education, Labor, and Pension - Tre Sterling
- R - Louisiana - Health, Education, Labor, and Pension - Mason Reese
- R - Colorado - Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry - Aubrey Pledger
- R - Kansas - Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry - Jacob Velasco
- R - Maine - Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry - Sydney Turner
- R - Iowa - Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry - Adi Staub
- D - New York - Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs - Joby Walcott
- D - New Jersey - Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs - Greylund Hekker
- D - California - Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs - Eamonn Quinn
- D - Nevada - Foreign Affairs - Audrey Porter
- D - Montana - Foreign Affairs - Miles Cole
- D - Delaware - Foreign Affairs - Yaw Agyemang
- D - Ohio - Energy and Natural Resources - Olivia Moloney
- D - Vermont - Energy and Natural Resources - Nina Radford
- D - Washington - Energy and Natural Resources - Mia Palmer
- D - Virginia - Health, Education, Labor, and Pension - Nika Bartoo-Smith WHIP
- D - Massachusetts - Health, Education, Labor, and Pension - Owen Swifter
- D - Maryland - Health, Education, Labor, and Pension - Gabe Gonzaga-Valenzuela
- D - Hawaii - Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry - Cole Marshall WHIP
- D - New Mexico - Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry - Blu Midyett MINORITY LEADER
- D - Minnesota - Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry - Jack Johnson