congress examples

Question 1

affordable care act

Answer 1

• passed march 2010
• expand medicare provisions
• obama taken to supreme court over some of its provisions in court case: independent federation of business vs sebellius - judges ruled that most of provisions were acceptabe but his threat to remove funding from states who didn’t comply was unconstitutional as undermined principles of federalism

Question 2

covid relief bill

Answer 2

• passed march 2021
• aimed to help millions of americans struggling financially due to impact of COVID-19
• much disagreements, amendments & comprimisesmade & marathon voting session
• employment benefits & minimum wage increase had to be scaled back to ensure manchin would vote for it

Question 3

gov shutdown 2018

Answer 3

• shutdown after congress failed to pass federal funding bill due to the disagreement over whether it should include funds for trump’s mexico border wall
• dems opposed wall money but when senate tried to pass a short term spending bill without it trump refused sign it

Question 4

gov shutdown 2013

Answer 4

• shutdown after congress failed to agree on new budget as rep representatives refused to support bill unless it inc provision to delay or stop obamacare

Question 5

what does a gov shutdown signify

Answer 5

• impact of not being willing comprise
• in a shutdown non-essential gov agencies are shutdown which puts hundred at risk of unpaid leave
• also impacts on economy due to decreased foot traffic
• fact that gov has allowed this to happen multiple times by essentially refusing to work together and comprimise shows their ineffectiveness

Question 6

trump’s 2nd impeachment

Answer 6

• accused of inciting the riot at capitol hill during his speech to his campaigning supporters (which was videotaped)
• arguably widespread ageement that trump had incited the riot at the capitol, with commentators saying things like if this isn’t an impeachable offence, I don’t know what is
• only 7 senators voted for his impeachment & were later censured

Question 7

centrists

Answer 7

susan collins - republican who has some liberals views eg: pro choice on abortion rights
joe manchin - conservative democrat “blue dog”