Hearing about the Constitution in Congressional Committees

No pediatric issue has so captured the attention of the American public during the past year as that of missing children. It is impossible to escape the haunting faces who peer out at us from television screens, milk cartons, breakfast cereal boxes, grocery sacks, bus posters, and business envelopes. Corporations vie with each other over sponsorship of public service campaigns to "publicize the plight of missing children," while television stations compete with a whole variety of specials. Naturally, whenever emotional concerns of such magnitude are raised, politicians are sure to become involved with stern demands for "immediate action." In May 1985, no less than three separate congressional committees held hearings on missing children all in the same week.

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Indian in Education: One Community's Experience

Journal of Education ◽

10.1177/002205747715900105 ◽

1977 ◽

Vol 159 (1) ◽

pp. 23-42

Author(s):

Kenneth Peterson

Keyword(s):

American Indians ◽

Local Level ◽

Indian Education ◽

Federal Spending ◽

Indian Children ◽

Assistance Programs ◽

Congressional Committees ◽

The Right ◽

Federal Assistance

American Indians have historically been denied the opportunity to participate in policy-making in schools. Now because of belated recognition of tribe's rights to self-determination and because of an awareness of past failures, Indian people can have a voice in their children's education. The original aim of institutionalized Indian education was to separate Indian children from their tribal past and encourage them to adopt the ways of white people. This was often done by sending children hundreds of miles away from their home and reservations to boarding schools. Termed assimilation, this policy has been judged a failure by educators, congressional committees, and Indians themselves. Today federal assistance programs require involvement by Indian parents and students both in reservation and urban schools. By exploiting these programs, Indian parents can change the type of education provided their children. A case study demonstrating possibilities of participation is the focus of this article. Unfortunately special federal spending programs can and do end. Hence, Indian parents, while participating at the local level, must advocate the development of new permanent law guaranteeing their children the right to a bi-cultural education.

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Congressional Committees as Moving Targets

Legislative Studies Quarterly ◽

10.2307/439906 ◽

1986 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 19 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Roger H. Davidson

Keyword(s):

Moving Targets ◽

Congressional Committees

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The Legislative Process: The Rise of the New Order in Congress

Congress ◽

10.12987/yale/9780300220537.003.0005 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 152-182

Author(s):

Benjamin Ginsberg ◽

Kathryn Wagner Hill

Keyword(s):

New Order ◽

Legislative Process ◽

Congressional Committees ◽

Do It Yourself

This chapter examines the legislative process, paying particular attention to the role of congressional leaders and the changing impact of party and partisanship. It argues that a “new order” has evolved in Congress. The new order reduces the power of the congressional committees and undermines deliberation, but it can still produce legislation, especially when Congress and the president are of the same party. The new order consists of three key elements, which are discussed in this chapter: “follow-the-leader” lawmaking, “do-it-yourself” (DIY) legislating, and “catching-the-omnibus” budgeting. The chapter also looks in detail at one very important part of the legislative process—the budget and appropriations process through which Congress exercises its constitutional “power of the purse.”

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