E-Congress

In this phase of E-Congress, you will work on actually writing your own proposed law, or bill. The information you gather in this phase will help ensure you write a bill that will appeal to members of E-Congress from around the country.

Choose a topic for your bill from the list below. By clicking on the different topics, you can view web resources and political cartoons that will help you with your research. Use the information you find here to complete the Phase II Research Guide.

• Civil Liberties and Constitutional Issues - Civil liberties are freedoms protected by the Constitution. Examples are the freedoms of speech, religion, and the press and freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures. If you are interested in current issues like religious exemptions or freedom of speech on public school campuses, this is the topic for you. This topic also includes intellectual property.
• Civil Rights - Civil rights are those rights that belong to all citizens regardless of race, gender, age, or national origin. They relate to freedom from unequal treatment. If you want to address the voting age, the rights of the disabled, LGBTQ rights, or affirmative action, this is the topic you should select.
• Criminal Justice - This topic is for those interested in the death penalty, penalties for crimes, victims' rights, and juvenile justice.
• Economy - The economy is usually the most influential issue for voters in presidential elections, so if you have a great idea for tax reform or a solution for inflation, this is the topic you should research.
• Education - Students can tell politicians a lot about education! This is the topic to pick if you want to address standardized testing, teacher training and salaries, school start times, college scholarships, or vocational training.
• Environment and Energy - Do you believe we need to do a better job of protecting the natural world, or do you think Americans focus enough or too much time and money on environmental regulations? If you want to learn more about natural resources, energy, land use and property rights, or animal habitats and welfare, choose this topic.
• Foreign Policy - How should the United States create and maintain relationships with other countries? Should we partner with the United Nations and other international organizations, work directly with other countries to solve problems, or should we take action independent of others?
• Gun Control - How much freedom should Americans have when it comes to purchasing and using guns? This topic is the source of a lot of controversy in our society. Research gun control and propose a solution of your own.
• Health and Safety - Many people suffer illness, injury, or even death because of sometimes-preventable risks, from unsafe driving to unhealthy habits. What do you propose to improve the health of Americans? What role, if any, do you think the government should have in health care?
• Immigration- Whether our families moved here 200 years ago or 10 years ago, almost every American arrived through immigration. How open or restricted should the United States be towards immigration?
• National Defense - How would you protect the United States from terrorists and others who wish to do us harm? Select this topic to learn more about what our government is doing as well as the alternatives some people have proposed.
• Reproductive and Personal Rights - This topic includes controversial issues such as abortion, stem cell research, cloning, and assisted suicide. Note: In past years E-Legislators have submitted a large number of bills on abortion. Because there are so many, these bills may be less likely to be reviewed by other students in the Committee Phase.
• Social Programs - Our government has a variety of social, cultural, and scientific goals - from tackling poverty and urban sprawl to establishing museums and exploring space. What programs would you like to see established, or what existing programs do you think need an update?
• Values and American Society - This topic is a catch all for values related subjects: issues of faith and religion, family, conduct between sexes, censorship, etc.


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