Identify a policy area that interests you (examples: sales taxes, health care reform, higher education reform, the legalization of certain drugs). Research that policy area and write a 10-12page paper. This paper needs to be about the federal government and what it is doing or not doing regarding the topical area you have selected. It should not be a history paper; it should be about the present.

You must clear your paper topic with me, in advance, of I will not accept your submission.

You need to include the following types of information (note that not all of these questions may be relevant to your topic):

 1. What policy area have you selected and why? (this is formal academic writing, so you do not use “I” “me” “my” “we” “our” etc.)

 2. Why is the policy area important at the federal level?

3. How has the issue been handled by Congress?

4. What legislators (Senators and Representatives) have been active in supporting the legislation? (tell me about them: who are they, what is their party affiliation, what are their districts like)

 5. What legislators have been active in opposing the legislation? (same information required as in the above question)

6. Has there been previous legislation on this issue? If yes, what happened with it?

7. Is the President supportive of the legislation? If yes, how do you know and if no, how do you know?

8. How does the public feel about the issue?

9. Are there interest groups involved in this issue? Which groups and why are they involved? What has their influence been?

10. Have the court systems been involved with the issue? If so, what levels have been involved and what have the major opinions been?

11. What do you see happening with the legislation? – This should be the very last portion of your paper, no more than one page and is the only place in the paper where your opinion should be. It is appropriate in this portion of the paper to use the word(s)- I, me, my, we, our