1. WRITE A BILL AND RESOLUTION
Instructions ONLINE
Mrs. Woolf – Government B

2. BOTH MUST BE U.S. CONGRESS POWERS!
Expressed, Implied or Inherent
Mandate if STATE POWER
Justify with EXPRESSED POWER if it hasn’t been done before.
CANNOT BE ENACTED/LAW if already a LAW!
YOUR Bill and YOUR Resolution must be different topics/issues.

3. BILL – become LAW
Bills are prefixed with H.R. when introduced in the House and S. when introduced in the Senate.
Usually applies to public or public monies.
Bills deal with domestic and foreign issues and programs, and they also appropriate money to various government agencies and programs.

4. JOINT RESOLUTION H.J. Res. or S.J. Res.
ACT that CONTROLS GOVERNMENT agencies – NOT MOST OF THE PUBLIC. OR
H.Amdt. Or S.Amdt.
IDEA for a CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.

5. CONCURRENT Resolutions Just “express”or “recognize”
H.Con. Res. or S.Con. Res
Express the need to pay ___ more.
Express appreciation for _____
Express the need for a “fat tax”.
Recognize _____ for _____.
Recognize the need for better safety rules/helmets in High School football.
Recognize a disease/disorder and the fight.

6. Mock Congress Ideas : USE PROJECT CITIZEN TOPIC.
Increase or cut taxes (on the wealthy, businesses, on capital gains and/or across the board)
Increase or decrease education spending
Increases or decrease military spending
Increase or ban the national missile defense system
Increases or decrease health insurance spending

7. Ratify the Kyoto Protocols (environmental treaty on carbon emissions)
Increase or decrease foreign aid spending
Strengthen or weaken abortion restrictions
Strengthen or weaken affirmative action
Strengthen or weaken AIDS research
Strengthen or weaken animal rights

8. Legalize Marijuana Legalize Prostitution Lift Mandates – Drinking age
Establish an official language
Metric system
Athletes must represent state of residence etc.
Ban boxing
Space exploration $
Stem Cell
Other Research
Ban Trans fat
Donor’s rights and $

9. Strengthen or weaken gun control
Strengthen or weaken our U.N. involvement
Strengthen or weaken gay rights
Strengthen or weaken help for the homeless
Allow more or restrict more immigration
Strengthen or weaken migrant labor laws
Strengthen or weaken campaign finance laws
Strengthen or weaken hate crimes laws
Strengthen or weaken the Patriot Act

10. Allow oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Ban or allow cloning of mammals
Allow all or ban stem cell research.
Ban the death penalty
Limit or eliminate the welfare system
Legalize/decriminalize one, some, or all drugs
Lower the age for tobacco and/or alcohol restrictions
Eliminate the sentencing of minors as adults
Allow the voluntary copying and transfer of data files for free without copyright restrictions.
Allow certain forms of school prayer
Tie the minimum wage to inflation and/or increase it several dollars

11. Have 2 topics (1 for Res. & 1 for Bill)?
Go to Congress.gov: put in topic or click on legislation (LINK).
Find similar RESOLUTION OR BILL
DO NOT use it if it is a SIMPLE RESOLUTION (H.Res or S.Res)
Or do a google search on the topic(s)
USE:
Bills – H.R. Or S.
Resolutions to USE- S.Con.Res, H.Con Res., S. Amdt., H. Amdt, H.J. Res or S.J. Res.

12. DON’T have TOPICS? Project Citizen topic.
2. Go to Congress.gov, click on legislation (LINK).

13. Found a Bill and Resolution?
Use Template
(USE Senate heading if in SENATE).
(USE House heading if in HOUSE).
Leave BLANKS for # and Committee
NUMBER THE LINES!
MAKE IT YOUR OWN! ONLY ONE PAGE or Less EACH. + FACTS
- Change words and take out unneeded words.

14. Sponsor
YOU are the sponsor of the bill and resolution. (Sponsor of bill/resolution gets the grade)
May have ONLY ONE co-sponsor.
If passes (ALL of processes needed), the sponsor AND co-sponsor will get +5 points on BONUS.
- MAY turn in as many as you want – ALL must be put in YOUR WORDS!

15. ATTACHED PURPOSE AND FACTS!
Separate page from Bill/Res.
-*EXCEPTION – Concurrent Resolution.
1. First Paragraph –what is the purpose for your bill/resolution – SELL IT!
Facts for BILL and 5 Facts for RESOLUTION! Not well known facts!
3. ANSWER QUESTIONS one may have about Bill and Resolution.
4. Source where ALL FACTS were found. (URL)

16. Need them for MOCK CONGRESS!
DUE: ___–first of class.
NOTE: ¼ off EACH DAY LATE
Go through RUBRIC to verify that you have what you need.