2. H ELPING C ONSTITUENTS Ch 7 sec 4

3. I. H ANDLING P ROBLEMS Lawmakers in both houses must deal with their constituents’ problems and needs involving government. Caseworkers on lawmakers’ staffs help them deal with voters’ requests for help.

4. I. H ANDLING P ROBLEMS C. Lawmakers spend a great deal of time on casework because responding to voters helps them get reelected, casework brings problems with federal programs to lawmakers’ attention, and caseworkers help citizens cope with the huge national government.

5. Q UESTION How much of their time should members of Congress spend handling the problems of their constituency?

6. II. H ELPING THE D ISTRICT OR S TATE Lawmakers bring federal projects and money to their districts and states through pork-barrel legislation, federal grants and contracts, and keeping federal projects.

7. II. H ELPING THE D ISTRICT OR S TATE B. Congress appropriates billions of dollars for local projects that can bring funds and jobs to districts and states; these appropriations for local projects are sometimes called “pork-barrel legislation.”

8. II. H ELPING THE D ISTRICT OR S TATE C. Lawmakers also try hard to obtain federal grants and contracts for their districts and states, working closely with executive department agencies that award those grants and contracts.

9. II. H ELPING THE D ISTRICT OR S TATE D. Although lawmakers do not have direct control over funds for grants and contracts, they may try to influence how these are awarded. They may pressure agency officials to grant their state favorable hearings, urge constituents to contact agency officials, and assign staff members to help constituents apply for grants and solve any special problems.

10. Q UESTION Do you think members of Congress should spend much time obtaining federal projects and federal grants and contracts for their districts and states?

11. I N YOUR NOTEBOOKS Illustrate the steps it takes to pass a bill in Congress. Pictures and captions from introducing a bill, to floor action and the final steps. In color.