Congressional gridlock in 2013 led the 113th Congress to pass the fewest substantial and ceremonial bills in recent history (Pew). Various polls stated that 85% of the American people disapproved of how the 113th Congress was doing its job.

In President Obama’s 2014 State of the Union Address, he stated that he would take action on issues without Congress. Some House Republicans responded on January 29, 2014 introducing H.R. 3973, the Faithful Execution of the Law Act and again on March 6, 2014 introducing H.R. 4138 Enforce the Law Act. On March 13, the Republican-led House passed H.R. 4138 which seeks to allow Congress to sue the President in the event the executive branch is violating the "take care" clause of the Constitution.

The Constitution states that the President of the United States “shall make sure that laws are faithfully executed.” Some claim that the “take care” power is given to the President to act quickly and on more administrative tasks than Congress, leading to more effective governing. Others say the “take care” clause is making the Presidency stronger than was intended by the Framers, overreaching into Congress’ lawmaking powers and weakening the checks and balances system.

Lesson: Celebrity vs. Expert Testimony

In this lesson, students will examine the role of celebrities and experts testifying in front of Congressional Committees. Specifically, they will

a) understand the function of Congressional Committee hearings

b) evaluate the effectiveness and importance of celebrity and expert testimony.

Lesson: Humility in Leaders

In this lesson, students will examine the virtue of humility through historical figures and determine its significance in present day leaders.

Common Core Aligned Lessons:

• Researching your Member of Congress
• Researching a Supreme Court Justice
• Researching the President

In these lessons, students will research the qualifications of present day leaders, compiling résumés and video clip examples of leaders in action.