civics 101: a citizen’s primer presented by: patt franc dfc few policy & legislation chair...
TRANSCRIPT
CIVICS 101: A Citizen’s Primer
Presented By: Patt Franc
DFC FEW Policy & Legislation Chair January 16, 2013
Nickname:Bundle of Compromises
Ratification of the U.S. Constitution:1788 with the agreement of 9 out of 13 states. Eventually all 13 would ratify. Delaware was the first state to ratify, New Hampshire the ninth.
Overall Structure of the U.S. Constitution:7 Articles followed by 27 amendments. The first 10 amendments are known as the Bill of Rights.
Key Principles of the U.S. Constitution:Separation of Powers, Checks and Balances, and Federalism
Ways to Amend the U.S. Constitution: To propose an amendment 1. 2/3 of both houses of Congress vote to propose and
amendment or 2. 2/3 of the state legislatures ask Congress to call a national convention To ratify an amendment 1. 3/4 of the state legislatures approve it. 2. 3/4 of ratifying
conventions in states approve it. The Preamble:
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
Interesting Facts about the U.S. Constitution:Only 12 of the 13 original states actually took part in writing the US Constitution. Rhode Island did not attend the Constitutional Convention though they eventually were the last state to ratify the document in 1790.
The Constitution
What they areThe first 10 amendments to the Constitution are known as the Bill of Rights.
Why they were writtenIn response to calls from several states for greater constitutional protection for individual liberties and the identification of specific prohibitions on governmental power. They were adopted and became law in 1791.
How they were approvedThe House approved 17 amendments. Of these 17, the Senate approved 12. Those 12 were sent to the states for approval in August of 1789. Of those 12, 10 were quickly approved (or, ratified). Virginia’s legislature became the last to ratify the amendments on December 15, 1791.
The Bill of Rights"[A] bill of rights is what the people are entitled to against every government on earth, general or particular, and what no just government should refuse." --- Thomas Jefferson December 20, 1787
Amendment I: Each citizen has the right to the freedom of religion, speech, and press and is allowed to assemble and petition the government.
Amendment II: Everyone has the right to have a gun (for lawful purposes) and the right to form as a militia.
Amendment III: This prohibits the government from forcing citizens to quarter soldiers in their home during peacetime. It is provisionally allowed during war.
Amendment IV: Citizens are protected from unwarranted search and seizure, and warrants must be specific and issued upon probable cause.
Amendment V: Citizens are protected from “double jeopardy” (being tried twice for the same crime), cannot be forced to incriminate themselves, and are generally protected from abuse at the hands of the courts.
Amendment VI: Everyone has the right to a fair and unbiased trial by jury as well as the right to counsel.
Amendment VII: In civil cases, the right to a trial by jury is still preserved; the case may not be reexamined in another court.
Amendment VIII: Cruel and unusual punishment may not be used upon a citizen, and bails may not be unreasonably high.
Amendment IX: This amendment states that citizens hold rights that are not enumerated in the Constitution, and that those not enumerated are not necessarily not there.
Amendment X: If a right wasn’t given to the federal government or prohibited to the States in the Constitution, it is held by either the States or the people.
The Bill of Rights...simplified
A federation, or uniting, of states. The states have a many powers that were given
them when the country was founded. According to the Constitution the states are the
default power. All of the federal powers are listed in the Constitution. Anything that is not listed in the Constitution is automatically a power of the states.
As the nation grew, however, the federal government had a tendency to grow its powers too, so much so that today it sometimes seems like the states don't play much of a role at all. Yet they still do.
The United States of America
FEDERAL Eligibility
President: a natural born citizen or citizen at birth, 35 years of age, a 14-year resident within the US Senate: 30 years of age, U.S. citizens for at least nine years, and residents of the state they represent. House: 25 years of age, a U.S. citizen for at least seven years, and a resident of the state (but not
necessarily the district) they represent. Election Frequency
President: Held every 4 years on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Senate: Held every 2 years. About 1/3 of the Senate is elected in each 2 year period. House: Held every 2 years for the totality of the House.
Term Limitations President: 4-year term; cannot be elected more than twice or not more than once if acted more than 2
years of a term to which someone other person was elected President. (Max 10 years). The term of the President of the USA ends at about noon on January 20, in the year following an election, when the new president is sworn in.
Senate: Unlimited 6-year terms. The term of a full term Senator ends at noon on the third day of January. House: Unlimited 2-year terms . The term of a full term Representative ends at noon on the third day of
January. NOTE: 15 States have term limitations (of varying length) for legislators. Some are consecutive limits,
while others are lifetime limits. STATE Eligibility
Varies by state Election Frequency
Generally, states hold elections at the same time as the federal elections, but, the Constitutional concept of Federalism provides for the states to conduct business as they feel is needed. At times, mid-term elections are held.
Term Limitations Varies by state
Electing Our Leaders
The Electoral College is a process, established in the Constitution as a compromise between election of the President by a vote in Congress and election of the President by a popular vote of qualified citizens.
The Electoral College consists of 538 electors. A majority of 270 electoral votes is required to elect the President. Each state’s entitled allotment of electors equals the number of members in its Congressional delegation: one for each member in the House of Representatives plus two for its Senators.
The Electoral College
Under the 23rd Amendment of the Constitution, the District of Columbia is allocated 3 electors and treated like a state for purposes of the Electoral College.
Each candidate running for President in a state has his or her own group of electors. The electors are generally chosen by the candidate’s political party, but state laws vary on how the electors are selected and what their responsibilities are.
Most states have a “winner-take-all” system that awards all electors to the winning presidential candidate. However, Maine and Nebraska each have a variation of “proportional representation.”
The electors meet and vote. The votes are counted in a joint session of Congress on January 6th. The Vice President, as President of the Senate declares the results.
The President-Elect takes the oath of office and is sworn in as President of the United States on January 20th in the year following the Presidential election.
As listed in the Constitution the Federal Government has the power to handle: defense trade (with other countries and between states) immigration the post office copyrights and patents coining money collecting taxes to "provide for the general welfare" of
the states (this one leaves a lot of room for interpretation)
and creating all laws that are "necessary and proper" to carry out the powers it was given (another invitation to grow)
The Federal Government
The states technically get everything else, including the power to handle: regulating business and industry (though the
feds, through their power to regulate trade between the states, do a lot of this too)
crime education health
The States
The states are the default power, but the feds always have the trump.
If it ever happens that a state has a law that contradicts a federal law, the federal law is the one that has to be followed.
There’s not always agreement on what kind of laws the feds can make - when that happens, the issue usually ends up with a states' rights case in court that may even make it to the Supreme Court.
The Federal Trump
1. Legislative: MAKES the laws (the Legislature, or Congress in the case of the federal government).
2. Executive: EXECUTES the laws by enforcing them and creating the programs they order (the Executive, the President).
3. Judicial: JUDGES and settles disputes when there's disagreement about what the law says (the Judiciary, with the Supreme Court at top).
The Three BranchesEach of these branches has a distinct and essential role in the function of the government, and they were established in Articles 1 (Legislative), 2 (Executive) and 3 (Judicial) of the Constitution.
The President The Vice President 15 Cabinet –level Departments
The primary power of the Executive Branch rests with the President, who chooses the Vice President, and the Cabinet members who head the respective departments.
A crucial function of the Executive Branch is to ensure that laws are carried out and enforced to facilitate such day-to-day responsibilities of the federal government as collecting taxes, safeguarding the homeland and representing the United States' political and economic interests around the world.
The Executive Branch
Article Three of the Constitution sets up the Judicial Branch.
It is the shortest part of the Constitution. Our founding fathers did not expect the judiciary to play a large role.
The structure of the Judiciary was largely left up to Congress. Congress passed the Judiciary Act of 1789 and the Judiciary Act of 1803 to set up the branch as we know it today. They created a three level (tiered) system and laid down certain rules concerning operation of the courts.
The Supreme Court was given certain powers in the Constitution to rule on cases directly. This is called original jurisdiction. They have original jurisdiction on cases involving the President and other issues outlined in the Constitution. Mostly however the Supreme Court is only an appeals court. This means that they only hear cases after the they have been heard by lower courts. In this sense the Supreme Court has what is known as appellate jurisdiction.
Federal Judges get "lifetime tenure." This means that they hold their terms for life. Judges can be impeached by Congress for misconduct or for "high crimes and misdemeanors." Remember, this only applies for federal judges. Why would we want judges to have lifetime tenure? Answer: It allows them to be free of political or job considerations when making decisions.
The Judicial Branch
Justices of the Supreme Court
NAME STATE BORN/AGE* APPOINTED APPOINTED BY
Antonin Scalia VA 1936/ 76 1986 Reagan
Anthony Kennedy CA 1936/ 76 1988 Reagan
Clarence Thomas GA 1948/ 64 1991 Bush, GHW
Ruth Bader Ginsburg NY 1933/ 79 1993 Clinton
Stephen Breyer MA 1938/ 74 1994 Clinton
John G. Roberts-Chief Justice
MD 1955/ 57 2005 Bush, GW
Samuel Alito NJ 1950/ 62 2006 Bush, GW
Sonia Sotomayor NY 1954/ 58 2009 Obama
Elena Kagen MA 1960/ 52 2010 Obama
*as of 12/31/2012
Established by Article I of the Constitution, the Legislative Branch consists of the House of Representatives and the Senate, which together form the United States Congress. The Constitution grants Congress the sole authority to enact legislation and declare war, the right to confirm or reject many Presidential appointments, and substantial investigative powers.
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives makes up the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution.
In order to pass legislation and send it to the President for his signature, both the House and the Senate must pass the same bill by majority vote. If the President vetoes a bill, they may override his veto by passing the bill again in each chamber with at least two-thirds of each body voting in favor.
The Legislative Branch
The Senate is both a more deliberative and more prestigious body than the House of Representatives, due to its longer terms, smaller size, and statewide constituencies, which historically led to a more collegial and less partisan atmosphere. The Senate is sometimes called the "world's greatest deliberative body.” The chamber of the United States Senate is located in the north wing of the US Capitol, in Washington, D.C.
The Senate is composed of 100 Senators, 2 for each state. Until the ratification of the 17th Amendment in 1913, Senators were chosen by state legislatures, not by popular vote. Since then, they have been elected to six-year terms by the people of each state. Senator's terms are staggered so that about one-third of the Senate is up for reelection every two years. Senators must be 30 years of age, U.S. citizens for at least nine years, and residents of the state they represent.
The Vice President of the United States serves as President of the Senate and may cast the decisive vote in the event of a tie in the Senate.
The Senate has the sole power to confirm those of the President's appointments that require consent, and to ratify treaties. There are, however, two exceptions to this rule: the House must also approve appointments to the Vice Presidency and any treaty that involves foreign trade. The Senate also tries impeachment cases for federal officials referred to it by the House.
The Senate has several exclusive powers not granted to the House, including consenting to treaties as a precondition to their ratification and consenting to or confirming appointments of Cabinet secretaries, federal judges, other federal executive officials, military officers, regulatory officials, ambassadors, and other federal uniformed officers, as well as trial of federal officials impeached by the House.
The Senate
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the United States Congress (bicameral legislature). It is frequently referred to as the House. The House meets in the south wing of the United States Capitol.
The House of Representatives is made up of 435 elected members (the number is fixed by law), divided among the 50 states in proportion to their total population. The current number of representatives was determined by the results of the 2010 Census. In addition, there are 6 non-voting members, representing the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and four other territories of the United States American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The presiding officer of the chamber is the Speaker of the House, elected by the Representatives. He or she is third in the line of succession to the Presidency.
Members of the House are elected every two years and must be 25 years of age, a U.S. citizen for at least seven years, and a resident of the state (but not necessarily the district) they represent.
The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the United States Constitution. The major power of the House is to pass federal legislation that affects the entire country although its bills must also be passed by the Senate and further agreed to by the U.S. President before becoming law (unless both the House and Senate re-pass the legislation with a two-thirds majority in each chamber).
The House has several exclusive powers: the power to initiate revenue bills, to impeach officials, and to elect the U.S. President in case there is no majority in the Electoral College.
The House
Number of Representatives (based on the 2010 Census)
Why are there three distinct branches of government, each with a different function? The framers of the Constitution did not wish to return to
the totalitarian system of governance imposed on colonial America by the British.
To ensure that no single person or entity had a monopoly on power, they instituted a system of checks and balances. The President's power is checked by the Congress, which can
refuse to confirm his appointees, for example, and has the power to impeach, or remove, a president.
Congress may pass laws, but the president has the power to veto them (Congress, in turn, may override a veto).
And the Supreme Court can rule on the constitutionality of a law, but Congress, with approval from two-thirds of the states, may amend the Constitution.
Checks and Balances
TYPES OF LEGISLATION: Bill: The bill is the most common form of legislation. It's an idea, a proposal, and in the House it receives
the designation H.R. for House of Representatives. In the Senate it gets S. for Senate. A bill becomes law when it's approved by both the House and Senate and reaches the president's desk for signature. After it's signed by the president, it's no longer called a bill, but becomes an "Act."
Resolution: A resolution is much the same as a bill, except that it's usually concerned with the operation of the House or Senate. In other words, it's about something that concerns only the institution and doesn't need to be signed by the president. In the House, such a resolution is designated H. Res. and gets a number, and in the Senate, it becomes S. Res.
Joint resolution: A joint resolution is virtually identical to a bill. Contrary to what one would expect given the name, it can be proposed in either the House or the Senate and it goes through the same procedures as a bill and must be signed into law by the president. One slight difference between a bill and a joint resolution is that a joint resolution frequently has a preamble, a paragraph explaining the justification for the bill with all the "Whereas" resolving clauses that are a feature of legislative language. Joint resolutions are also used to amend bills already under consideration. A joint resolution gets the designation H.J.Res. in the House and S.J.Res. in the Senate.
Concurrent resolutions: A concurrent resolution can be introduced in either house and doesn't go to the president for signature. It isn't a bill and doesn't create any law. Usually, concurrent resolutions are used to express facts, principles, and opinions of the two houses. When effectively used to show the sentiments of the Congress where a particular cause or measure is concerned, concurrent resolutions can lead to real legislation, can warn opponents of the strength behind a measure, and can encourage supporters inside and outside Congress. After being passed by both houses, concurrent resolutions are transmitted to the U.S. archivist rather than the president. In the House, they are designated H.Con.Res. and in the Senate, S.Con.Res.
Private bills: While many people look to Congress for help with personal problems, sometimes such assistance must be approved by the entire Congress in the form of a bill. Your representative or lawyer can tell you whether that will be the case with any proposal you may make. The use of private bills has declined considerably. For example, in the 96th Congress (from 1979-1981), 123 private bills were passed, but by the 111th Congress (from 2009-2011), the number had dropped to only 2, both dealing with immigration issues.
How Congress Makes Laws
Getting a bill started: It all starts with an idea, but you have to be a member of Congress to introduce it to the House or the Senate. The first step is to give the bill a number; if it starts in the House it gets an H.R. in front of the number, if in the Senate, an S. (Bills are not the only things Congress considers - there are also joint resolutions, concurrent resolutions and simple resolutions, but because they're not so common, we'll spare you the details.)
Surviving committee: The first hurdle is for a bill to get through a committee - without a committee's approval a bill will die before it gets to the House or Senate floor for a vote (there are few exceptions). There are standing committees on policy areas ranging from Agriculture to Veterans' Affairs. Bills are first referred to a committee, which can consider the bill straight off or can refer the bill to a subcommittee for study and hearings. You may hear that a bill is "marked up" - that means it meets a subcommittee's approval and gets handed back to the standing committee. The full committee can go ahead and have further hearings of its own or it can just vote to have the bill go to the full House or Senate, known as "ordering a bill reported." It is what it sounds like: the bill is put into a report and sent to the chamber where it came from.
Getting on the Calendar: Bills next get put on the calendar for the House or Senate floor (there is more than one calendar in the House). In both the House and the Senate the all important question of when, or if, a bill ever gets to the floor is largely left up to the speaker (of the House) or the majority leader (of the Senate).
Debate and Voting: Once on the floor, there are rules on the procedure for debating a bill. Amendments can also be added to a bill before going up for a vote. A bill passes with a simple majority.
Note on filibusters: Senators can stall a bill to death by simply continuing to debate it and never bringing it to vote, a process called filibustering. A filibuster can be stopped, however, but it needs 60 senators to vote for the debating to come to an end. In this odd way a minority of 41 senators can stop a bill being passed even if 59 senators would approve it.
Going to the other chamber and ironing out any differences: Once one part of Congress passes a bill it gets referred to the other half and goes through roughly the same process. A bill can be approved as is, in which case it goes straight to the president's desk. If the second chamber makes minor alterations, it will likely just go back to the first chamber for a second thumbs up. If major changes are made, however, the bill will go to a conference committee to be ironed out. If no agreement can be made, the bill dies. If a compromise is made, both the House and Senate must then approve the conference report.
Only one in twenty five bills make it all the way through in the year they're introduced; for the 96% that don't get turned into law, it's either the wastebasket or the recycling bin. (Washington Post)
How Congress Makes Laws (con’t)
What exactly is a filibuster? A filibuster is a type of parliamentary procedure where an individual extends debate, allowing a lone member to delay or entirely prevent a vote on a given proposal. It is sometimes referred to as talking out a bill, and characterized as a form of obstruction in a legislature or other decision-making body.
Recent History. The filibuster has been used nearly 400 times in the 112th Congress, which will go down as the least productive since the 1940s. The classic filibuster -- made famous in the film "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" starring Jimmy Stewart -- involves a lawmaker taking to the floor and doggedly making his point.
The (oversimplified) debate: Minority parties usually describe the filibuster as a protection against arbitrary action by the majority.
The latest on Filibuster Reform: On December 28, Senators McCain (R-AZ) and Levin (D-MI) offered watered-down reforms they suggested would restore Washington to a place the fabled Mr. Smith of the 1939 movie would recognize. They said that what they were proposing on a bipartisan basis is a way to end the major sources of gridlock around here, giving the Senate two new ways to end filibusters. On December 29 a broad coalition of nearly 50 progressive and labor organizations that have been actively lobbying for filibuster reform rejected the Levin-McCain proposal out of hand, calling it a "recipe for continued Senate gridlock.
Filibuster
Presidential Signature: All bills and joint resolutions, except those proposing amendments to the Constitution, must be signed by the President before they become law. When presented with legislation passed by both houses of Congress, the president is constitutionally required to act on it in one of four ways:
sign it into law within the 10-day period prescribed in the Constitution, issue a regular veto, let the bill become law without his signature by waiting 10 days issue a "pocket" veto.
Regular veto: When Congress is in session, the president may, within the 10-day period, exercise a regular veto by sending the unsigned bill back to the chamber of Congress from which it originated along with a veto message stating the reasons for rejecting it. Currently, the president must veto the bill in its entirety. S(he) may not veto individual provisions of the bill while approving others. Rejecting individual provisions of a bill is called a "line-item" veto. In 1996, Congress passed a law granting President Clinton the power to issue line-item vetoes, only to have the Supreme Court declare it unconstitutional in 1998.
Bill becomes law without president's signature: When Congress is not adjourned, and the president fails to either sign or veto a bill sent to him by the end of the 10-day period, it becomes law without his signature.
The pocket veto: When Congress is adjourned, the president can reject a bill by simply refusing to sign it. This action is known as a "pocket veto," coming from the analogy of the president simply putting the bill in his pocket and forgetting about it. Unlike a regular veto, Congress has neither the opportunity or constitutional authority to override a pocket veto.
How Congress responds to a veto: When the President returns a bill to the chamber of Congress from which it came, along with the objections in the form of a veto message, that chamber is constitutionally required to "reconsider" the bill. The House of Representatives or the Senate complies with the constitutional requirement to 'reconsider' by laying the measure on the table (essentially stopping further action on it), referring the bill to committee, postponing consideration to a certain day, or immediately voting on reconsideration (vote on override)."
Overriding a veto: Action by both the House and the Senate is required to override a presidential veto. A two-thirds majority vote of the Members present is required to override a presidential veto. If one house fails to override a veto, the other house does not attempt to override, even if the votes are present to succeed. The House and Senate may attempt to override a veto anytime during the Congress in which the veto is issued. Should both houses of Congress successfully vote to override a presidential veto, the bill becomes law.
Sign or Veto: Process and Powers
The US SenateDemocrats 53Republicans 45 Independents 2Men 80Women 20 5
House of RepresentativesDemocrats 200Republicans 233 Independents 0Vacancies 2Men 355Women 78
The 113th Congress - Make-Up
NOT SHOWN: African American Representative Tim Scott (SC), who was appointed by Governor Nikki Haley to fill the seat of retiring Senator Jim DeMint.
President of the Senate - Joe Biden (D) President Pro Tempore of the Senate - Patrick Leahy (D-VT)Majority (Democratic) Leadership
Majority Leader and Caucus Chair: Harry Reid (NV) Assistant Majority Leader (Majority Whip): Dick Durbin (IL) Caucus Vice Chair and Policy Committee Chair: Chuck Schumer (NY) Caucus Secretary: Patty Murray (WA) Senatorial Campaign Committee Chair: Michael Bennet (CO) Policy Committee Vice Chair: Debbie Stabenow (MI) Steering and Outreach Committee Chair: Mark Begich (AK) Steering and Outreach Committee Vice Chair: TBD Chief Deputy Whip: Barbara Boxer (CA)
Minority (Republican) Leadership Minority Leader: Mitch McConnell (KY) Assistant Minority Leader (Minority Whip): John Cornyn (TX) Conference Chairman: John Thune (SD) Policy Committee Chairman: John Barrasso (WY) Conference Vice Chair: Roy Blunt (MO) Senatorial Committee Chair: Jerry Moran (KS) Deputy Whips: Roy Blunt (MO), Richard Burr (NC), Mike Crapo (ID), Saxby
Chambliss (GA), Rob Portman (OH), David Vitter (LA), Roger Wicker (MS)
Senate Leadership
Speaker of the House - John Boehner (R-OH-8) Majority (Republican) leadership
Majority Leader: Eric Cantor (VA-7) Majority Whip: Kevin McCarthy (CA-23) Majority Chief Deputy Whip: Peter Roskam (IL-6) Conference Chair: Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-5) Campaign Committee Chairman: Greg Walden (OR-2) Policy Committee Chairman: James Lankford (OK-5) Conference Vice-Chair: Lynn Jenkins (KS-2) Conference Secretary: Virginia Foxx (NC-5)
Minority (Democratic) leadership Minority Leader: Nancy Pelosi (CA-12) Minority Whip: Steny Hoyer (MD-5) Assistant Democratic Leader: Jim Clyburn (SC-6) Senior Chief Deputy Minority Whip: John Lewis (GA-5) Chief Deputy Minority Whips: Keith Ellison (MN-5), Ben Ray Lujan (NM-3),
and Terri Sewell (AL-7), Diana DeGette (CO-1), G. K. Butterfield (NC-1), Jim Matheson (UT-4), Jan Schakowsky (IL-9), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23), Peter Welch (VT at large)
Caucus Chairman: Xavier Becerra (CA-34) Caucus Vice-Chairman: Joseph Crowley (NY-14) Campaign Committee Chairman: Steve Israel (NY-3) Steering/Policy Committee Co-Chairs: Rosa DeLauro (CT-3)and Rob Andrews
(NJ-1) Organization, Study, and Review Chairman: Mike Capuano (MA-7)
House Leadership 113th Congress
What is it? Who does it affect? What can’t you do? What are the penalties? Pending legislation/reform
BOTTOM LINE: Questions? Check the Office of Special Counsel’s website www.osc.gov/hatchact.htm# or ask your supervisor.
NEVER EVER…use government equipment to express your opinion. This includes computers, telephones and fax machines, mail service, vehicles, or time on the clock.
If in doubt, leave it out…of the workplace. Send it from home!
The Hatch Act
Contacting your member of Congress is the easiest and most effective way to make a difference in policy decisions. Personal stories and first-hand descriptions of how a bill will personally affect you is huge.
Although traditional letter writing and contacting congressional offices through the telephone is still very effective, the times are changing. Social media is now becoming a key platform for congressional engagement. On-Line (programs designed to help, web forms, email) By Phone (call, fax and texting) Tweeting Facebook By Mail Using the Media
The Benefits of Contacting
FEDERAL LEVEL The President: http://few.capwiz.com/bio/id/3181&lvl=F or
http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/ Your Senators: http://few.capwiz.com/few/directory/congdir.tt or
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm Your Representatives: http://few.capwiz.com/few/directory/congdir.tt
or http://www.house.gov/representatives/
A Government Agency: http://few.capwiz.com/few/dbq/officials/agencies/?command=search or http://www.usa.gov/directory/federal/index.shtml
A Specific Topic: http://www.usa.gov/Contact/By-topic.shtml
STATE LEVEL Governors: http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Governors.shtml State Legislatures: http://thomas.loc.gov/home/state-legislatures.html
Contacting Your Government and Elected Officials
Make an appointment to visit your legislator.While you may not get a face to face appointment with him/her, one of the staff members (most often assigned to whatever issue you want to discuss) will meet with you, hear your concerns, ask questions, and pass your information on to the legislator.
IN WASHINGTON, DC: Contact your legislator’s office and make an appointment.
LOCALLY: Contact your legislator’s local office and make an appointment. The schedule for both the Senate and the House are posted online so you can see when legislators are back in their states/districts.
Plan a visit SOMEONE TO WATCH
CAPWIZ: http://capwiz.com/few/home/ Is FEW’s online advocacy program that allows users
to send advocacy messages in a variety of ways. It also allows for messages to be sent to key legislators at the state and national levels.
Also includes information on Elected Officials Key Votes A Congressional Directory with detailed information
on leadership, committees, demographics, etc. Election information (based on your zip code) Media contacts to help you find and contact national
and local media sources Pre-written letters on issues important to FEW
How FEW Can Help You
The right to petition your government is guaranteed by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. We the People provides a new way to petition the Obama Administration to take action on a range of important issues facing our country. We created We the People because we want to hear from you. If a petition gets enough support, White House staff will review it, ensure it’s sent to the appropriate policy experts, and issue an official response. Go to petitions.whitehouse.gov Browse open petitions to find a petition related to your issue, and add
your signature. If not, create an account If your issue is not currently represented by an active petition, start a
new petition. If a petition meets the signature threshold, it will be reviewed by the Administration and they will issue a response. Currently 194 active and open petitions
We The People“My administration is committed to creating an unprecedented level of openness in government. We will work together to ensure the public trust and establish a system of transparency, public participation and collaboration. Openness will strengthen our democracy and promote efficiency and effectiveness in government.”— President Barack Obama
Action Items Go online and find out who your elected officials are Read about their positions Write, call, email or tweet them to let them know
What you think How you want them to vote That you are holding them accountable That you vote
Write them to thank them when they do take action or vote the way you wanted them to!
..and
Let’s truly make this a Government….of the people, by the people, for the people
VOTE! VOTE! VOTE!Every vote counts, every vote matters! “Nobody will ever deprive the American people of the right to vote except the American people themselves and the only way they could do that is by not voting.” -Franklin D. Roosevelt
Organized and Incorporated in 1968 Three levels, National, Regions and
Chapters Membership: Open to all who support
FEW’s mission. Annual dues $45
Focus Areas Compliance Diversity Legislation Training
This presentation brought to you byFederally Employed Women’s
Denver Federal Center Chapter
Working for the
Advancement of
Women in GovernmentDFC FEW Contacts
Pauline Gibson, President [email protected]
Janet Price, Vice President
Kerbi Jacobsob, Secretary
Bethany Mills, Treasurer
Jen Hilts, Membership & Diversity
Patt Franc, Policy & Legislation
PattyDamon, Fundraising & Communication
Open, Programming & Planning
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January, 2013 Denver Federal Center Chapter, Federally Employed Women CONTACT: Patt Franc, Policy & Legislative Chair [email protected]
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