Simulation assignment - writing legislation
Simulation assignment - writin" rel="nofollow">ing legislation
This is an essay about legislation, and my character is Lynn Jenkin" rel="nofollow">ins (R-KS) - Economic Affairs. and please see the specific in" rel="nofollow">information for details.
Simulation Assignment #3 – Writin" rel="nofollow">ing Legislation
Due: April 10th at 11:59 PM (on Moodle)
Length: No more than two pages (followin" rel="nofollow">ing the format of the sample legislation)
There are several different types of legislation. For this assignment you are writin" rel="nofollow">ing a “public
bill” for in" rel="nofollow">introduction in" rel="nofollow">into the House of Representatives. Public bills are items of legislation that
affect the general welfare or address a general question. Therefore, you’re writin" rel="nofollow">ing a potential
policy that affects a wide range of the general public (or, at least, your constituents). Your
public bill will be placed on the House Calendar. Again" rel="nofollow">in, there are several different types of
legislative calendars dependin" rel="nofollow">ing on the type of legislation bein" rel="nofollow">ing debated. However, we are
simplifyin" rel="nofollow">ing the process by usin" rel="nofollow">ing a sin" rel="nofollow">ingle calendar for all bills.
All bills will be in" rel="nofollow">introduced in" rel="nofollow">in the second session of the 114th Congress. You do not need to give
your bill an “H.R. number.” Use the sample legislation as a formattin" rel="nofollow">ing guide.
Use the followin" rel="nofollow">ing websites to fin" rel="nofollow">ind legislation in" rel="nofollow">introduced by the representative you are playin" rel="nofollow">ing,
or create your own legislation based on your representative’s policy goals (refer to assignment
#2 for ideas). Use any legislation you fin" rel="nofollow">ind as a guide, but know that you not not have in" rel="nofollow">include
every sin" rel="nofollow">ingle aspect of the legislation in" rel="nofollow">into your assignment.
Your representative’s .gov website
The library of Congress database – www.congress.gov (you can search by House member)
Steps for Writin" rel="nofollow">ing your Legislation
Step 1 – Write a statement of purpose for the legislation you in" rel="nofollow">intend to propose. Some elements
are common to all pieces of legislation. For example, every piece of legislation has a statement
of purpose that can be found directly beneath its number. This statement of purpose explain" rel="nofollow">ins
what the bill is about. If you look at the sample legislation, you’ll notice these statements of
purpose come immediately followin" rel="nofollow">ing the notation, “A bill to…”
Step 2 – Give your legislation a title. In addition to a statement of purpose, most major
legislation also in" rel="nofollow">includes a title—that is, a way of referrin" rel="nofollow">ing to the legislation. Sometimes these
titles are simply descriptive (e.g., “Nuclear Threat Reduction Act”); other times, they can be
catchy phrases or can be converted to easy-to-remember acronyms (e.g, “Racketeer Influenced
and Corrupt Organizations Act or RICO). The title should begin" rel="nofollow">in “Section 1” after your statement
of purpose.
Below the title you need to in" rel="nofollow">include a brief paragraph tellin" rel="nofollow">ing everyone that you are in" rel="nofollow">introducin" rel="nofollow">ing
the bill. Additionally, you should in" rel="nofollow">include the committee you would like the bill to be referred
to. Therefore, you need to review the committee descriptions to ensure you select the
appropriate committee (found at the end of this document). It is generally a good idea to pick a
policy issue covered by the committee you are assigned to.
Step 3 – Draft as least one, but as many as are needed, statements of fin" rel="nofollow">indin" rel="nofollow">ings or “whereas”
clauses for your legislation. Many pieces of legislation in" rel="nofollow">include a justification for the legislation.
In this case, the justification comes in" rel="nofollow">in the form of a statement of fin" rel="nofollow">indin" rel="nofollow">ings, which comes after
your title. You will need to present some justification for your legislation.
Step 3 – Outlin" rel="nofollow">ine the major themes of your legislation. The remain" rel="nofollow">inder of the legislation should
be focused on the substance of what it is you are tryin" rel="nofollow">ing to accomplish. As you write this
section, you will need to separate your main" rel="nofollow">in ideas in" rel="nofollow">into major headin" rel="nofollow">ings and in" rel="nofollow">include details
about each of the subheadin" rel="nofollow">ings. These details could in" rel="nofollow">include the appropriation of funds to
support the legislation; they might specify to whom the legislation will apply (what part of the
population?); and/or these details may simply clarify your major themes. Be as broad or specific
as you feel is necessary to get your message across. Your major themes should be a part of
section 3 in" rel="nofollow">in your legislation. Refer to the sample legislation to guide you through this process.
Step 4 – Draft the approach sunrise and sunset provisions in" rel="nofollow">in your legislation. A sunrise
provision sets a date for the legislation to take effect. A sunset provision sets a date—if you so
desire—for the legislation to expire. All legislation in" rel="nofollow">includes some form of sunrise provisions.
Your sunrise/sunset provisions should be a part of section 3 of your legislation.
Sample Legislation
**Here’s the lin" rel="nofollow">ink to the actual legislation in" rel="nofollow">introduced by Brad Sherman (D-CA) I used to create
this sample: https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/4312?resultIndex=2
114th Congress
2nd Session
H.R. XXXX
A bill to amend the Iran Threat Reduction and Syrian Human Rights Act of 2012 to require the
President to block and prohibit transactions in" rel="nofollow">in property and property in" rel="nofollow">interests of a foreign
person that knowin" rel="nofollow">ingly supports certain" rel="nofollow">in transactions with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps
(IRGC) or other sanctioned persons if that property and those property in" rel="nofollow">interests are in" rel="nofollow">in the
United States, come within" rel="nofollow">in the United States, or are or come within" rel="nofollow">in the possession or control
of a U.S. person.
Section 1. Title:
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps Sanctions Implementation and Review Act
Mr. Sherman (for himself) in" rel="nofollow">introduced the followin" rel="nofollow">ing bill; which was referred to the Committee
on International Relations and National Security.
Section 2. Statements of Fin" rel="nofollow">indin" rel="nofollow">ings:
(1) The IRGC has helped train" rel="nofollow">in and equip proxy groups and Iraqi Shiite in" rel="nofollow">insurgents, and
elements of the Taliban, which have targeted and killed United States and other allied
forces in" rel="nofollow">in Iraq and Afghanistan
(2) The Government of Iran contin" rel="nofollow">inues to engage in" rel="nofollow">in serious, systematic, and ongoin" rel="nofollow">ing
violations of human rights, in" rel="nofollow">includin" rel="nofollow">ing suppression of freedom of expression and religious
freedom, illegitimate detention, torture, and executions, without affordin" rel="nofollow">ing anythin" rel="nofollow">ing
resemblin" rel="nofollow">ing an adequate due process.
(3) The IRGC plays a significant role in" rel="nofollow">in many of Iran’s human rights abuses.
(4) Strengthenin" rel="nofollow">ing sanctions again" rel="nofollow">inst the IRGC, ensurin" rel="nofollow">ing that the United States Government
identify and designate more of the affiliated entities through which the IRGC operates
will help deprive the IRGC of resources needed to carry out its nefarious activities.
Section 3. Major Themes:
(1) Amend subsection (b) of section 302 of the Iran Threat Reduction and Syrian Human
Rights Act of 2012 by addin" rel="nofollow">ing, “the President shall block and prohibit all transactions in" rel="nofollow">in
property and in" rel="nofollow">interests in" rel="nofollow">in property with respect to such foreign person if such property
and in" rel="nofollow">interests in" rel="nofollow">in property are in" rel="nofollow">in the United States, come within" rel="nofollow">in the United States, or are
or come within" rel="nofollow">in the possession or control of a United States person.”
(2) The Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the President and the
appropriate congressional committees a report identifyin" rel="nofollow">ing foreign persons not currently
subject to sanctions under subsection (b) of section 302 who knowin" rel="nofollow">ingly engagin" rel="nofollow">ing in" rel="nofollow">in an
activity described by the amended section.
(3) If sufficient evidence to impose sanctions exists, the President shall submit to the
appropriate congressional committees a report contain" rel="nofollow">inin" rel="nofollow">ing the result of the review and
impose all sanctions under subsection (b).
(4) Sunrise provision – The amendment to subsection (b) shall take effect after the date
that is 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
Committee Descriptions
Infrastructure
The Committee on Infrastructure will consider all legislation that deals specifically with
transportation, national resources, and science and technology issues. These issues in" rel="nofollow">include,
but are not limited to, agriculture, forestry, ecology, energy policy, environmental policy,
emergin" rel="nofollow">ing technologies, highways and public roads, bridges, railways, airlin" rel="nofollow">ine regulation, and air
travel.
International Relations and National Security
The IR/NS Committee will consider all legislation dealin" rel="nofollow">ing with bilateral or multilateral
relationships between the U.S. and other countries. It will also consider any legislation dealin" rel="nofollow">ing
with in" rel="nofollow">international trade, global markets, espionage, diplomacy, drug traffickin" rel="nofollow">ing and
in" rel="nofollow">interdiction, the military, base closures, and immigration.
Health, Education, and Welfare
The Health, Education, and Welfare Committee will consider all legislation that deals with
health, education, and welfare issues. These issues in" rel="nofollow">include, but are not limited to, health care
policy, Medicare, Medicaid, pharmaceutical drugs, Social Security, Aid to Families with
Dependent Children (and other poverty programs), education policy, teacher testin" rel="nofollow">ing, national
testin" rel="nofollow">ing standards, and student loans.
Economic Affairs
The Economic Affairs Committee will review any piece of legislation that deals with in" rel="nofollow">interstate
trade, labor issues, consumer protection and consumer affairs, securities and exchange (the
stock market, antitrust, monopolies, etc.), work-in" rel="nofollow">incentive programs, or other economic
issues. This committee will also take on the responsibility of the House Ways and Means
Committee and will be responsible for reviewin" rel="nofollow">ing legislation referred to it to determin" rel="nofollow">ine its
effects on the U.S. budget. Such legislation would in" rel="nofollow">include anythin" rel="nofollow">ing proposin" rel="nofollow">ing a tax in" rel="nofollow">increase or
tax cut.
Government and Judiciary
The Government and Judiciary Committee will deal with all in" rel="nofollow">internal matters relatin" rel="nofollow">ing to the
workin" rel="nofollow">ings or the conduct of the government, reforms of the House or other government
entities, and rules for members of the legislative branch. Issue such as crime, drugs, abortion,
and gun control would also fall under this committee's jurisdiction. In addition, this committee
will deal with any veterans' issues.