A nontechnical outline of the Federal lawmaking process is presented, from the origin of an idea for a legislative proposal to its publication as a statute. Seventeen chapters comprise the document. Chapters I through VII examine the structure of the Congress, sources of legislation, forms of congressional action, committee processes, reported…

Provides information about the 106th and 107th U.S. Congress sessions. Includes early bills in the Senate for the 107th Congress and information about low versus high bill numbers. Presents two activity ideas that accompany this information. (CMK)

This hearing focused on youth violence and the importance of developing local and state solutions. Senator Fred Thompson made an introductory statement. This was followed by four panels on each of 2 days of testimony. Day one's first panel included involved students and business people from Memphis, TN. The second panel included two Tennessee…

States that the modern governor is a "new breed" of policy activist and skilled manager, leading revitalized state governments. Describes the forces that have transformed the governor's office and state legislatures. Concludes that state governors are more influential because state governments are better equipped for the task of…

Provides historical background on how President Richard Nixon selected someone as vice president after Spiro T. Agnew resigned due to criminal charges. Provides background information on his choice, Gerald Ford, and discusses the process of how Ford officially became vice president. Includes a document from the Nixon Presidential Materials…

A discussion guide, one of a series on constitutional reform issues by The Jefferson Foundation as part of The Jefferson Meeting on the Constitution project, examines proposals to institute item and legislative veto power. The first section discusses the historical background surrounding the formative debate on veto legislation. The separation of…

A discussion guide, one in a series on constitutional reform issues developed by The Jefferson Foundation as part of the Jefferson Meeting on the Constitution project, examines proposals to change congressional terms. The first section discusses representation and the sovereignty of the people through the issues of actual and virtual…

This guide is a revised and adapted version of a previous monograph, "A New Public Perspective on Representative Democracy: A Guide for Legislative Interns." The guide focuses on civic perspective: how citizens view the political institutions, processes, and people that are fundamental to representative democracy in the United States. It…

This document contains a handbook and a booklet of classroom activities to use with the handbook. The handbook is a compilation of the law, procedures, and practices which govern the legislative process in Georgia. It addresses the practical problems faced by members of the Georgia legislature. Chapter one discusses the General Assembly, its…

The pamphlet is one issue of the PROBE series which gives British secondary school youth an overview of social issues and suggests questions for discussion. Information and issues about law and justice in England and Wales are discussed in this issue. Section one explains the differences between criminal law, which is enforced by the police, and…

A survey of state legislators was conducted to determine their views of what vocational education should be doing and how it could be improved as well as their perceptions about federal and state roles relative to vocational education. Findings were based on 45 percent of the sample of 209 members of the National Conference of State Legislatures…

A study was undertaken of federal and state secondary and higher education policy research design that used a new approach. It systematically used the parties interested in policy development to identify the specific policies within their domain that are in current contention and also identify the arguments and claims on all sides of the policy in…

The student's kit and teacher's manual provide a framework for secondary students to simulate the functionings of Georgia's General Assembly. Objectives of the simulation are to help students: (1) experience the forces and conflicts involved in lawmaking, (2) learn about the role of legislators, (3) understand and discuss issues facing citizens,…

Facts and controversial issues concerning SALT II (Strategic Arms Limitations Talks) are examined. The intent of the document is to enable non-specialists in military/strategic matters to arrive at their own conclusions. Central questions explored are: Is it possible to arrive at an agreement that will stabilize strategic arms competition and…

Designed to encourage informed and critical thinking on contemporary political issues and processes, the articles, case studies, and activities in this student handbook can be incorporated into secondary school social studies units on government or current events. Seven chapters cover the executive branch of government, Congress, the judiciary,…