VOTING IN CONGRESS:VOTING IN CONGRESS:

ItIt’’s More Than Just s More Than Just ““YeaYea”” or or ““NayNay””

(It(It’’s more than thumbs up or down, too. Sorry.)s more than thumbs up or down, too. Sorry.)

Members of Congress Members of Congress think about think about

FOUR FACTORSFOUR FACTORS when deciding whether when deciding whether

to vote for a law.to vote for a law.

FACTOR #1FACTOR #1 Does the Does the

Constitution give Constitution give Congress the Congress the powerpower

to pass to pass the law?the law?

FACTOR #1FACTOR #1 FACTOR #2FACTOR #2

What is my What is my personal opinionpersonal opinion??

Does the Does the Constitution give Constitution give

Congress the Congress the powerpower to pass to pass

the law?the law?

FACTOR #1FACTOR #1 FACTOR #2FACTOR #2

What is my What is my personal opinionpersonal opinion??

FACTOR #3FACTOR #3 What are the views What are the views

of my of my political political partyparty??

Does the Does the Constitution give Constitution give

Congress the Congress the powerpower to pass to pass

the law?the law?

FACTOR #1FACTOR #1 FACTOR #2FACTOR #2

What is my What is my personal opinionpersonal opinion??

FACTOR #3FACTOR #3 What are the views What are the views

of my of my political political partyparty??

FACTOR #4FACTOR #4 What do my What do my voters voters

think?think?

Does the Does the Constitution give Constitution give

Congress the Congress the powerpower to pass to pass

the law?the law?

FACTOR #1FACTOR #1

The POWERS of CONGRESSThe POWERS of CONGRESS

Congress is limited by what Congress is limited by what the Constitution says.the Constitution says.

The Constitution only gives The Constitution only gives Congress certain powers.Congress certain powers.

Like what?

FACTOR #1FACTOR #1

The POWERS of CONGRESSThe POWERS of CONGRESS Here is what the Constitution Here is what the Constitution says Congress can do:says Congress can do:

•Collect Collect taxestaxes to raise money to to raise money to pay pay debtsdebts, to , to defenddefend the the country, and to provide for the country, and to provide for the general welfaregeneral welfare of the United of the United States.States.

FACTOR #1FACTOR #1

The POWERS of CONGRESSThe POWERS of CONGRESS Here is what the Constitution Here is what the Constitution says Congress can do:says Congress can do:

•Control commerce (Control commerce (businessbusiness) ) that happens across that happens across statestate lines, lines, with with foreignforeign countries, and with countries, and with Indian Indian tribestribes..

FACTOR #1FACTOR #1

The POWERS of CONGRESSThe POWERS of CONGRESS Here is what the Constitution Here is what the Constitution says Congress can do:says Congress can do:

•Make laws about Make laws about immigrationimmigration..

•Make laws about Make laws about bankruptcybankruptcy..

•Establish Establish post officespost offices..

FACTOR #1FACTOR #1

The POWERS of CONGRESSThe POWERS of CONGRESS Here is what the Constitution Here is what the Constitution says Congress can do:says Congress can do:

•Declare Declare warwar..

•Raise and support Raise and support armiesarmies..

FACTOR #1FACTOR #1

The POWERS of CONGRESSThe POWERS of CONGRESS Oh, and hereOh, and here’’s one more:s one more:

•Make all laws that are Make all laws that are ““necessary and propernecessary and proper”” for for executing any of these powers.executing any of these powers.

Hold on! What does Hold on! What does that mean?that mean?

FACTOR #1FACTOR #1

The POWERS of CONGRESSThe POWERS of CONGRESS That means Congress can That means Congress can sometimes do things that are sometimes do things that are notnot on the list . . .on the list . . .

. . . if it relates to something that . . . if it relates to something that isis on the list! on the list!

MINI QUIZMINI QUIZ

Can Congress pass any law it Can Congress pass any law it wants to?wants to?

A.A. YES! Congress has the YES! Congress has the power to do anything. power to do anything.

B.B. NO! Congress can only do NO! Congress can only do what the Constitution says what the Constitution says it can do.it can do.

MINI QUIZMINI QUIZ

Congress has the power to Congress has the power to create armies.create armies.

A.A. True True

B.B. FalseFalse

MINI QUIZMINI QUIZCongress cannot control Congress cannot control business that happens in business that happens in

more than one state.more than one state.

A.A. True True

B.B. FalseFalse

MINI QUIZMINI QUIZ

Congress may collect taxes Congress may collect taxes for certain reasons.for certain reasons.

A.A. True True

B.B. FalseFalse

MINI QUIZMINI QUIZ

Congress may not make any Congress may not make any laws about immigration.laws about immigration.

A.A. True True

B.B. FalseFalse

MINI QUIZMINI QUIZCongress may make any law Congress may make any law

as long as it is as long as it is ““necessary necessary and proper.and proper.””

A.A. True True

B.B. FalseFalse

MINI QUIZMINI QUIZWhen may Congress do When may Congress do

something that is not listed something that is not listed in the Constitution?in the Constitution?

A.A. Always Always

B.B. NeverNever

C.C.When it relates to When it relates to something that is listedsomething that is listed

D.D. Only on ThursdaysOnly on Thursdays

FACTOR #2FACTOR #2

PERSONAL OPINIONPERSONAL OPINION

Members of Congress are Members of Congress are human beings, just like you!human beings, just like you!

Sometimes they agree with a Sometimes they agree with a bill…bill… and sometimes they are and sometimes they are totally against a bill.totally against a bill.

FACTOR #3FACTOR #3 POLITICAL PARTY VIEWSPOLITICAL PARTY VIEWS

People in a political party share People in a political party share similar values.similar values.

They work for laws that reflect They work for laws that reflect those values.those values.

FACTOR #3FACTOR #3 POLITICAL PARTY VIEWSPOLITICAL PARTY VIEWS

For a member of Congress, being For a member of Congress, being in a political party is like being on in a political party is like being on a team. a team.

Members of the team support Members of the team support each other and try to create bills each other and try to create bills that reflect their values.that reflect their values.

FACTOR #3FACTOR #3 POLITICAL PARTY VIEWSPOLITICAL PARTY VIEWS

Usually members of Congress Usually members of Congress agree with their political agree with their political party about bills. party about bills.

But sometimes they donBut sometimes they don’’t.t.

FACTOR #4FACTOR #4 VOTERSVOTERS

There would be too many people There would be too many people in Congress if in Congress if everyoneeveryone went . . . went . . .

So voters choose a few people So voters choose a few people to represent them.to represent them.

FACTOR #4FACTOR #4 VOTERSVOTERS

People in Congress are People in Congress are responsible for responsible for representing the voters representing the voters back home.back home.

So theySo they’’d better think about d better think about those voters, because…those voters, because…

FACTOR #4FACTOR #4 VOTERSVOTERS

Voters send people to Voters send people to Congress . . .Congress . . .

. . . and voters can kick . . . and voters can kick people out!people out!

MINI QUIZMINI QUIZMembers of Congress vote Members of Congress vote based based onlyonly on their personal on their personal

opinions.opinions.

A.A. TRUE! Personal opinion is TRUE! Personal opinion is the only factor. the only factor.

B.B. FALSE! They consider FALSE! They consider other factors too.other factors too.

MINI QUIZMINI QUIZMembers of Congress Members of Congress

always agree with their political always agree with their political party about bills.party about bills.

A.A. True True

B.B. FalseFalse

MINI QUIZMINI QUIZWhen considering a bill, When considering a bill, members of Congress members of Congress

should think about...should think about...

A.A. Only themselves Only themselves

B.B. Voters back homeVoters back home

C.C. People on the moonPeople on the moon

MINI QUIZMINI QUIZIf members of Congress do a If members of Congress do a bad job, voters can kick them bad job, voters can kick them

out.out.

A.A. True True

B.B. FalseFalse

MINI QUIZMINI QUIZIn Congress, being in a political In Congress, being in a political

party is like being on a...party is like being on a...

A.A. Team Team

B.B. Game showGame show

C.C. Surf boardSurf board

MINI QUIZMINI QUIZ

People in the same political People in the same political party share similar…party share similar…

A.A. Eye color Eye color

B.B. Opinions about moviesOpinions about movies

C.C. ValuesValues

MINI QUIZMINI QUIZWhen considering a bill, When considering a bill,

members of Congress usually members of Congress usually think about…think about…

A.A. Their own opinions Their own opinions

B.B. The Constitution The Constitution

C.C. Political party viewsPolitical party views

D.D. What voters think What voters think

E.E. All of the aboveAll of the above