GOVT 322 Congressional Profile Assignment Instructions

Overview

The congressional profile introduces you to the dual aspects of a representative’s work, interacting at home in the district and doing the work of a legislator on Capitol Hill. Candidates must connect to their constituents and be knowledgeable of the district and state to serve them well on Capitol Hill. Previous election campaigns and major interests within a district shape the representative’s work and future elections. A representative’s voting record, constituency service, and committee work in turn may become an election issue and representatives must anticipate how to respond to election challenges. The framework for the profile is Richard Fenno’s field work and his terms of home style and Capitol Hill style used to describe the dual aspects of a representative’s work.

Instructions

Research the member of the House of Representatives for the district in which you reside. Describe in 3–5 pages your Representative’s home style and Capitol Hill style, which are discussed in Davidson, Oleszek, Lee, & Schickler, and substantively connect your Representative’s Capitol Hill work with your district.

In an introductory paragraph, state the connection between the styles and the principal challenges the representative faces. In two parts, describe the home style and the Capitol Hill style of the member using the suggested points below. Write a short conclusion restating the connection between the member’s Capitol Hill work and the district. Then comment and reflect on your experience with the assignment.

You must compose this review according to current APA format. To complete the assignment adequately, the list must include 6–10 citations. You must include a title page and a bibliography page with a list of complete citations of the resources consulted, but the title and bibliography pages do not count toward the required length of the assignment.

Home style

How does the member present himself/herself and his/her record to his/her constituency?

· Describe the member’s website. (How does it compare to the page of another member?)

· What information or links are provided?

· What’s the appeal?

· Election year campaign

· Major issues and debates, etc.

· Extent of national party involvement

· Election results (margin of victory)

· Off-year local news story

· Describe the member’s district

· Party affiliation demographics

· Major commercial interests and constituent income sources

· Active interest groups in the member’s district

For a useful resource for local and national news, try the Falwell Library databases Newspaper Source Plus or NexusUni. For describing the district, try the Census Bureau, Explore: My Congressional District as found in the Learn items for Module 3: Week 3.

Capitol Hill Style

Lawmaking and other duties

· Committee/subcommittee memberships

· Jurisdiction of the subcommittees/committees

· Agencies overseen

· Sponsored legislation (or legislation before subcommittees/committees)

· Bill number and Congress (popular name)

· Is the legislation of national party/presidential importance?

· Did the member speak on the floor in congressional debate?

· Committee reports

· Committee hearings – who testified?

· Caucus memberships

· Party and other duties or noteworthy presidential contacts

Conclusion

Use the material from the home style and Capitol Hill style analysis to support a substantive conclusion connecting the Hill work and the district or home style. (Use the conclusion to form a strong thesis in the introduction.)

Note: Your assignment will be checked for originality via the Turnitin plagiarism tool.Describe in 3–5 pages your Representative’s home style and Capitol Hill style, which are
discussed in Davidson, Oleszek, Lee, & Schickler, and substantively connect your
Representative’s Capitol Hill work with your district.