Improving Congressional Effectiveness
John Fortier talked about a Bipartisan Policy Center report on ways to improve congressional effectiveness. He discussed the number of days members of Congress actually spend in Washington, the legislative process, and the need for more bipartisan meetings. ** This clip is part of C-SPAN Classroom's FREE resources for teachers and students. Visit www.c-spanclassroom.org for more info. **
Description
John Fortier talked about a Bipartisan Policy Center report on ways to improve congressional effectiveness. He discussed the number of days members of Congress actually spend in Washington, the legislative process, and the need for more bipartisan meetings.
Bell Ringer Assignment
- Explain the three main recommendations of the Bipartisan Policy Center for improving congressional effectiveness.
- How much time does Congress spend in Washington conducting legislative business? Why does the Bipartisan Policy think that should be increased?
- Describe the shift to more centralized leadership in Congress.
- Explain the three steps of regular order and why the Bipartisan Policy Center thinks it will improve Congress.
- What are the two ways that Congress can resolve different versions of a bill from the House and Senate? Describe the role and process of a conference committee and why it is the preferred method according to John Fortier.
- Explain the increased role of committees in the 114th Congress and why the Bipartisan Policy Center believes it will improve congressional effectiveness.
Participants
Greta BrawnerHost, C-SPAN5779 Videos
Vocabulary
- Amendments
- Bipartisan
- Committee
- Conference Committee
- Filibuster
- House Of Representatives
- Legislative Process
- Pro Forma Session
- Regular Order
- Senate