AP Government Senate Simulation

Posted by Daniel Carbajal on Feb 17, 2011 in Telegram Past News

Last week the during the 7th, 8th, and 9th days of February, the  senior AP Government had a congress simulation where the students were mimicking actual senators in congress trying to pass bills. Starting by making committees, there were several groups that started the process by choosing bills among the students to pass and eventually make a law. Each group was allowed to pass only two by the time the actual “session” started. There were many bills that ranged from issue to issue such as the controversial abortion issue, to bills that would make obtaining firearms more difficult after the tragic attack in Tucson, Arizona last month.

Here is a list of the bills proposed that either passed or failed:

The Voting Initiative Act: Passed

Same Sex Marriage Act of 2011: Passed

Healthy Teen Act: Passed

Prohibit Abortion Act of 2011: Failed

Academic Achievement Act of 2011: Postponed

Tobacco Non-Legalization Act of 2011: Passed

Equal Measurement Act of 2011: Passed

Vanguard Act of 2011 (Bans protesters from cemeteries and funerals): Passed

Mental Illness Handgun Safety Act of 2011: Failed

Fuel Efficiency/Clean Transportation Act of 2011: Postponed

Adult Permit Act: Failed

Lottery to Education Act: Postponed

These bills gave a general view of what the class’s ideologies are on certain issues. For example, the abortion prohibition bill that failed in the class shows that the majority of the class is pro-choice and not against the idea of abortion. This was a good way for students to get an idea of what an actual session in Congress is like, whether it was in the House of Representatives or in the Senate.