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How does POPVOX work again?

Glad you asked!

Check out the issues on POPVOX through our blog, new bills, and bill highlights. Hear about a bill you want to weigh in on? Use the search to find the bill easily.

Click “support” or “oppose” on a bill page. You can either leave it at that OR you can write a message to your lawmakers describing why you support or oppose the measure. We will deliver your message to your lawmakers directly!

Tell others! Share on Facebook, Twitter, or by e-mail to help your friends and family come add their voices too. There’s strength in numbers!

Still have questions?

Great! Keep ’em coming to [email protected]!

Will my real name show? Not unless you make that your screen name. POPVOX defaults to an anonymous “Constituent#” screen name, so you have that choice.

Will my lawmaker know who I am? Yes! Your real name and contact information is sent to your lawmaker so they know you are a real constituent and can contact you about your message.

Do lawmakers care? Yes! That’s the whole reason we built POPVOX. Lawmakers care a lot about what their constituents think. You are their employer! They just don’t care what THE WHOLE INTERNET thinks. That’s why it’s important for POPVOX to place you in the right district and help lawmakers know you are really their constituent.

Does POPVOX share my information? Not with anyone other than your lawmakers. Check out our privacy policy.

What’s up with TPP?

Last Friday, the Obama Administration issued formal notice to Congress of intent to sign the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), by submitting a draft statement of administrative action [SAA]. The SAA lays out how the President would implement the TPP if Congress approves the 12-nation trade agreement. This notice kicks off a process of Congressional hearings and negotiations with the White House.

Anytime after thirty days have passed, the White House can submit a final SAA along with a bill to approve the agreement, which Congress will give expedited consideration and an up or down vote.

TPP Timeline:

2009: The U.S. joined ongoing negotiations between several Pacific Rim countries, which would eventually lead to the 12-nation TPP.

Jun. 2015: Congress passed bill laying out conditions for TPP, process for expedited review, and giving the President Trade Promotion Authority (TPA).

Oct. 2015: TPP agreement reached after years of multilateral negotiations

Nov. 2015: Obama Administration posted the full text of the agreement on Medium.

Feb. 2016: Finalized proposal signed in Auckland, New Zealand

Aug. 12, 2016: President submits draft SAA to Congress

After 30 days: President may submit final SAA + implementing bill to Congress at any time. Congress then has 90 days to give the agreement an up-or-down vote. (Must be submitted by mid-October for 90 days to fall within Obama’s remaining term)

Nov 8: Election Day -- The President is expected to send a final SAA to Congress in time for it to be considered in a post-election Lame Duck session.

Jan. 20, 2016: 45th President takes office

How are Members of Congress assigned to committees?

Party leadership in both chambers determine how many Republicans and Democrats are on each committee, using the proportion of Republicans to Democrats in the chamber at large as a guide.

In the Senate, each party assigns its members to committees by resolutions, and committees in turn assign their members to subcommittees. In the House, members are assigned to committees in a three-step process. First, each party uses a committee on committees to make the initial recommendations for assignments by following certain guidelines and matching representatives’ preferences with available committee slots. The committee then turns these recommendations over to party conference committees, who often rubber stamp the assignments. Finally, the committees submit the slate of recommendations to the full chamber for approval, which is normally granted.

#Congress #House #Senate #Party leadership #Republicans #Democrats #committees

What happened to the energy bill?

Before adjourning for seven-week recess, the House and Senate agreed to convene a conference committee on major energy legislation. The last time the two chambers convened a formal conference to negotiate major energy bill was 2005. According to the U.S. Constitution, the chambers must pass identical legislation for the bill to pass Congress and be signed by the President. Read about the Senate version and the House version.

#House #Senate #Congress #bills #legislation #energy bill #conference committee

What is TPP?

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is a trade agreement between twelve Pacific Rim countries: U.S., Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam.

TPP is a free trade agreement that liberalizes trade and investment, so involved countries can freely engage in economic relations with one another.

TPP receives expedited consideration known as Trade Promotion Authority (aka fast track) authorization. Fast Track is an expedited procedure for Congressional consideration that only applies to trade agreements. Congress must act within 90 legislative days, with no amendments or filibusters allowed. Fast Track was created in 1975 to give the President credibility to negotiate trade deals while maintaining Congress’s central role in negotiations.

Learn more about TPP.

#TPP #Trans-Pacific Partnership #trade deals #trade agreements

Americans continue to place little confidence in the nation's major institutions, with their average confidence levels nearing record lows. Confidence in newspapers and in organized religion both dropped to their lowest levels yet.

Despite the declining percentages of Americans having high confidence in these institutions, the majority have at least "some" confidence in all but one of them. Congress has the ignominious distinction of being the only institution sparking little or no confidence in a majority of Americans.

We dig it: POPVOX API shout-outs from inside Congress

At POPVOX, we’re working every day to bring the “Voice of the People” to the halls of government. And it makes our day when we hear back that it’s working!

https://twitter.com/CHoehner/status/735102855917494272

So how does the POPVOX API work?

Bill-by-bill information is available in a machine-readable format that other developers can incorporate into their own apps. This includes:

Standard bill information (title, sponsor, cosponsor)

Stakeholder positions on the bill (logo, link, letter)

Constituent sentiment (aggregate support/oppose numbers)

POPVOX also makes several widgets available to embed on your site, including:

Bill Details (title, sponsor, cosponsor breakdown, status)

Comment stream (Updating feed of comments on the bill -- all or just supporting or opposing)

Mini map (vertical widget with map and sentiment charts)

Write Lawmaker widget (allows people to write to lawmakers through POPVOX -- without leaving your website.)

Want to know more? Drop us a line

#congress #Write to Congress #open government #opengov #openlaw #opendata popvox

Bills for High School Civics Research

We LOVE Civics Teachers! Like, LOVE. So when they follow us on Twitter, we get excited and ask: “how can we help?”

One recent follower/civics teacher shared that she was preparing an activity to have students research bills and write to their Members of Congress.

We think there is no better way for young people to get a sense of the power of their voice than by sharing their thoughts, opinions, or questions with their lawmakers -- and hearing back! POPVOX makes that easy.

To help the class get started with their research, we're highlighting a few bills on the issues they have studied: gun control, minimum wage, healthcare, education, abortion. (Where possible, we selected a bill from a Democratic and Republican representative and senator, and attempted to capture a range of views). Students can research positions pro/con, see what others are saying on POPVOX, and add their voices!

Gun Control

S. 2002 Mental Health and Safe Communities Act of 2015, Sponsor: Sen. John Cornyn [R, TX]

H.R. 2380 Gun Show Loophole Closing Act of 2015, Sponsor: Rep. Carolyn Maloney [D, NY-12]

H.R. 4319 Second Amendment Defense Act of 2016, Sponsor: Rep. Scott Perry [R, PA-4]

S. 551 The Denying Firearms and Explosives to Dangerous Terrorists Act, Sponsor: Sen. Dianne Feinstein [D, CA]

Minimum wage

S. 1832 The Pay Workers a Living Wage Act, Sponsor: Sen. Bernard Sanders [I, VT]

H.R. 4508 Fair Wage Act, Sponsor: Rep. Donald Norcross [D, NJ-1]

Healthcare

S. 336 ObamaCare Repeal Act, Sponsor: Sen. Ted Cruz [R, TX]

H.R. 676 The Expanded and Improved Medicare for All Act, Sponsor: Rep. John Conyers [D, MI-13]

S. 418: The Promoting Health as Youth Skills In Classrooms And Life Act, Sponsor: Sen.Tom Udall [D, NM]

H.R. 6 21st Century Cures Act, Rep. Fred Upton [R, MI-6]

Education

H.R. 5003 Improving Child Nutrition and Education Act of 2016, Sponsor: Rep. Todd Rokita [R, IN-4]

H.R. 1574 Students Helping Young Students Act of 2015, Sponsor: Rep. André Carson [D, IN-7]

S. 402 The STEM Master Teacher Corps Act, Sponsor: Sen. Alan Franken [D, MN]

S. 306 The Enhancing Educational Opportunities for all Students Act, Sen. Mike Lee [R, UT]

Abortion

H.R. 36 Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, Sponsor: Rep. Trent Franks [R, AZ-8]

H.R. 2972 Equal Access to Abortion Coverage in Health Insurance (EACH Woman) Act of 2015, Sponsor: Rep. Barbara Lee [D, CA-13]

S. 404 Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act, Sponsor: Sen. Marco Rubio [R, FL]

S. 674 21st Century Women's Health Act of 2015, Sponsor: Sen. Patty Murray [D, WA]

Are there others you would recommend that students research? Drop them in the comments.

____

Note: POPVOX does not ever endorse or oppose any bills. Our goal is always to help you better understand and navigate the legislative process.

#Congress #Civics #Bills #Legislation #Lawmaking #Civic Education #Civic Engagment #House #Senate #Gun Control #Minimum Wage #Health Care #Education #Abortion #POPVOX #Write to Congress #Contact Lawmakers

'It’s obviously going to take a little cooperation unless people want to spend Christmas here.'

The stopgap is necessary because Republicans and Democrats have not reached agreement on a long-term spending package.

A House Freedom Caucus member says a holiday-season deadline is hurting the GOP's leverage and wants to push budget talks into January.

Republicans leaders in the House plan to pass a short-term continuing resolution in order to allow more time for omnibus negotiations, Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) told reporters Tuesday. “These negotiations

The biggest reason for reform of the program, lawmakers argue, is that thirty of the 38 countries whose passport-holders are eligible for the waiver program are in Europe, where many foreign fighters arrive from Syria and Iraq.

Congress has until Friday to avert a government shutdown.

Democrats are worried about the cost of the package.

The House’s most conservative lawmakers may vote against the spending bill that must pass Congress this week, but the bloc is raising less of an outcry than on previous bills and isn’t putting much heat on new Speaker Paul Ryan.

Legislation from Rep. Tim Murphy is getting increased attention, but obstacles remain.

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