I'm Just a Bill

This is a course about the American legislative process. You will learn how the United States Congress and President enact a law by role-playing as Members of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate, or as senior advisors to the President. You will engage in legislative debate, offering amendments, voting, and extensive policy and legislative negotiation, with the goal of enacting new laws.The simulated legislative agenda involves four policy topics: economic growth and income distribution, climate change, regulation of ¿Big Tech,¿ and an international issue. As a class, you will try to enact a new law in each of these four areas.This class is for beginners. You will:-Learn a bit about three policy issues (likely climate change, economics, and regulation of "Big Tech,");-Learn both the formal and informal rules of legislating¿how a bill really becomes a law; and-Develop and practice your "soft skills," including persuasion, negotiation, leadership, strategy, and organizational analysis.