Question

chapter 5, chapter test form a, continued
f 3. the clause that allows congress to stretch the delegated powers listed in the constitution to cover many other subjects is called the rubber band clause.
f 4. a standing committee is a permanent congressional committee that meets regularly.
f 5. the number of senators per state that may be elected depends on the population of each state.
primary source (5 points each) on december 5, 1999, jonathan karl of cnn discussed the health of congressperson strom thurmond, a senator from south carolina for close to 50 years. mr. karl wrote the following on strom thurmonds 99th birthday:
well, he moves incredibly slowly. he hardly speaks much anymore. but he shows up for almost every single senate vote, and over these last few years, there are only a handful of senators who have a better voting attendance record. he had a scare a few weeks ago, when he seemed to collapse at his desk, and the medics at first could not find a heartbeat. some of his colleagues thought he had died. so, his health is not good...
from \jonathan karl: strom thurmond turns 99\ from cnn.com: community web site, accessed january 16, 2001, at www.cnn.com/2001/community/12/05/karl.otsc copyright © 2001 by cable news network. reprinted by permission of the publisher.

1. how did the supreme courts 1995 ruling on congressional term limits affect strom thurmonds membership in congress?
2. should the supreme court set limits on a congresspersons ability to serve based on age or health?

composing an essay (20 points) write a brief essay on one of the following subjects. remember to use examples to support your answer.

1. one of the duties of congressmembers is to serve the interests of the people who live in their home district or state. why should a congressmember be concerned about the interests of these people? what can a congressmember do about these concerns?
2. each year the senate and the house of representatives consider thousands of bills. the ideas for these bills come from various sources. name at least two sources for these ideas and give an example of an idea each source might suggest.

Explanation:

1. The 1995 Supreme - Court ruling on congressional term limits struck down state - imposed term limits for members of Congress. Since Strom Thurmond was a senator, this ruling did not directly affect his ability to remain in Congress as it did not set federal term limits.
2. Arguments for setting limits based on age or health could include ensuring that representatives are capable of fulfilling their duties effectively. However, there are also concerns about age - discrimination and the fact that ability can vary greatly among individuals regardless of age. There is no clear - cut answer as it involves a balance between democratic representation and ensuring competent governance.
3. Congressmembers should be concerned about the interests of their constituents as they are elected to represent them. They can introduce and support legislation, hold town - hall meetings, and work on local projects to address these concerns.
4. Sources of bill ideas can include interest groups (e.g., environmental groups may suggest bills related to conservation) and the executive branch (e.g., the President may propose a budget - related bill).

Answer:

1. The 1995 Supreme - Court ruling on congressional term limits, which struck down state - imposed term limits for members of Congress, did not directly affect Strom Thurmond's membership in Congress as it did not set federal term limits.
2. There is no straightforward answer. While setting limits based on age or health could ensure competent representation, it also raises issues of age - discrimination and the variability of individual ability.
3. Congressmembers should be concerned about their constituents' interests as they are elected to represent them. They can introduce and support relevant legislation, hold town - hall meetings, and work on local projects.
4. Sources of bill ideas include interest groups (e.g., environmental groups suggesting conservation - related bills) and the executive branch (e.g., the President proposing budget - related bills).