1. Unit 8 Chapter 7, Sections 2-4
Taxing, Spending, Influencing and Helping Voters

2. I CAN:
Define taxes and determine how the legislative branch can collect taxes
Analyze the two-step process of how Congress can appropriate money
Explain what a lobbyist is and what they do
Understand how Congressmen use pork to get reelected.

3. Sec. 2: Taxing and Spending
Taxes- money the people and businesses pay to support the government.
Important work on taxes occur by the House Ways and Means Committee or Senate Finance Committee
Closed rule- forbids members to offer any amendments to a bill from the floor

4. Appropriating Money Appropriation- approval of government spending
The House and Senate appropriation committee handle all bills (13 subcommittee
Authorization bill-sets up federal program and specifies how much money may be appropriated for that program ($30 million a year)
Appropriation bill- provides the money needed to carry out the many laws Congress has passed

5. Uncontrollable Expenditures
Some expenditures are uncontrollable because the government is legally committed to spend the money
Entitlements- social programs that continue from year to year (Ex: Social Security)

6. Sec. 3 Influencing Congress
Representatives of interest groups known as lobbyists, try to influence Congress by convincing members to support policies that favor their particular group, which is known as lobbying

7. Sec. 4: Helping Constituents
Pass public works bills to help bring jobs/money/economy to their district (Ex: Roads, bridges, Hospitals)
Sometimes legislatures pass pork-barrel legislation- when Congressmen provide money that will benefit their district and not the country as a whole
When two or more lawmakers agree to support one another’s bills, it is called logrolling