The U.S. Congress

Lauren C. Bell is professor of political science and dean of academic affairs at Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Virginia. She is a former American Political Science Association Congressional Fellow on the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary and a former Supreme Court Fellow at the U.S. Sentencing Commission in Washington, D.C. In addition to THE U.S. CONGRESS: A SIMULATION FOR STUDENTS, Dr. Bell is the author of FILIBUSTERING IN THE U.S. SENATE (2011) and WARRING FACTIONS: INTEREST GROUPS, MONEY, AND THE NEW POLITICS OF SENATE CONFIRMATION (2002) as well as co-author of SLINGSHOT: THE DEFEAT OF ERIC CANTOR (2015) and PERSPECTIVES ON POLITICAL COMMUNICATION: A CASE APPROACH (2008). She has written and co-authored articles in several law reviews and peer-reviewed journals, including the JOURNAL OF POLITICS, POLITICAL RESEARCH QUARTERLY, THE JOURNAL OF LEGISLATIVE STUDIES, THE JOURNAL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION RESEARCH AND THEORY, JUDICATURE, THE WAYNE LAW REVIEW, and the New York State Bar Association’s GOVERNMENT, LAW, & POLICY JOURNAL. Previously, she served on the editorial board of JUSTICE SYSTEM JOURNAL. Dr. Bell and her work also have appeared in or been cited by THE NEW YORK TIMES, Newsweek.com, THE WASHINGTON POST, ROLL CALL, THE NATIONAL JOURNAL, THE HUFFINGTON POST, Bloomberg Law, Law360.com, Politifact, Foreign Affairs.com, Wisconsin Public Radio, Share Radio (London), the Canadian Press, the London School of Economics and Political Science’s American Politics and Policy Blog and THE RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the College of Wooster (Ohio) and Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degrees from the Carl Albert Congressional Research and Studies Center at The University of Oklahoma.

1. AN INTRODUCTION TO THE SIMULATION.
Simulation Goals. The Congress Then and Now.
2. THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS.
The Textbook Legislative Process. Unorthodox Lawmaking.
3. THE SIMULATION.
Who Are the Members of the Current Congress? Simulation Assignment 1: Selecting a Member of Congress. Where Can I Find Information About Members of Congress? Simulation Assignment 2: Member Profile. How Members Organize Themselves. Party Caucuses. Simulation Exercise: Party Caucuses. Writing Legislation. Simulation Assignment 3: Writing Legislation. Simulation Assignment 4: Dear Colleague Letter. Simulation Assignment 5: Bill Justification. Simulation Assignment 6: Adding Cosponsors. Committees. Simulation Exercise: Committee Meetings. Simulation Exercise: Second Party Caucuses. Floor Debate and Voting. Communicating with Constituents. Simulation Assignment 7: Constituency Newsletter. Conclusion. Member Selection Sheet. Member Profile Worksheet. Legislation Worksheet. Cosponsor Form. Rules Committee Worksheet (Optional). Floor Debate Worksheet.
4. RESOURCES FOR FUTURE STUDY.
Biographies/Autobiographies of Members of Congress. Books About How Congress Works. Scholarly Books About the Congress and the Legislative Process.
Notes.
References.
Appendix I: Sample Bills/Resolutions.
Appendix II: Sample Dear Colleague Letters.
Appendix III: Getting a Job or Internship in the Congress.
Index.