1. Influences on Congress Objective 3. 8-3
Influences on Congress Objective How do Individuals and interest groups Influence Congress?

2. Because Congress serves the people Congress can be influenced by the people

3. How can an individual citizen influence members of Congress??

4. INDIVIDUAL ACTIONS THAT INFLUENCE CONGRESS
1. EXPRESS YOUR OPINION
-WRITE, , CALL, USE SOCIAL MEDIA, ATTEND TOWN HALL MEETING
2. VOTE TO ELECT PEOPLE THAT REPRESENT YOUR OPINIONS
3. RUN FOR OFFICE
-BECOME the person in charge of making laws!!

5. JOIN A GROUP
Individuals can influence policy more by joining with other individuals that share their beliefs

6. Why do groups of people have a larger influence on Congress than individuals??

7. Benefits of joining a goup
More voices
More resources (ex-$)
More voters
More attention

8. Join an Interest Groups
Organizations of people with common interests
Goals:
inform the public
influence government leaders to pass laws they support

10. Because of the large number of members and resources, interest groups can…

11. Identifying, publicizing important issues
Interest groups make law makers aware of issues and pressure them to pass supportive laws
Interest groups can use television or other media to spread the word about their cause

12. Lobbying policy makers to pass new laws
Lobbyists, working for interest groups, pressure law makers to pass certain policies
Lobbyist= Representative of an interest group sent to influence Congress

13. Lobbyists Talk with government leaders directly
try to influence lawmakers to pass certain policies their group supports

14. Voting
Interest groups will tell members who to vote for in an election
Large numbers of voters can influence who gets elected

15. Giving $$ contributions
$ $ $ $
Interest groups can give $$ to help policy makers that support their cause get elected
(NRA has 4.3 million members)
$ $ $ $

16. Interest groups can influence policy by…
Identifying, publicizing important issues
Lobbying policy makers to pass new laws
Voting in large numbers for only certain candidates (AARP has 40 million members)
Giving $$ contributions to leaders that support their cause

17. Interest group fact find
Use the packet with the names of various interest groups to identify groups that serve different causes.
Visit the website of these groups and identify their mission/goal statement.
Explore other links on each site to learn more about the interest groups’ cause