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ARTICLE I, SECTION 6, OF THE U.S. CONSTITUTION states: “The Senators and Representatives shall receive a Compensation for their Services, to be ascertained by Law, and paid out of the Treasury of the United States.”

Issue 1: No Congressional Pay
Congress.gov: H.R.1973, “No Pay for Congress During Default or Shutdown Act” 
Straight Arrow News: “Lawmakers Giving Up Paychecks During Shutdown” 
Brookings Institution: “What’s the Legal Basis for Sending Troops to DC Streets?”
Fox News: “GOP Senators Say They’re Open to Deploying National Guard Blue Cities” 
CBS News: “Does Congress Get Paid During a Government Shutdown?”
Democracy Docket: “Does Trump Have the Power to Take Control of American Cities?”

Issue 2: Daylight Saving Time
Congress.gov: S.29, “Sunshine Protection Act of 2025”
American Academy of Sleep Medicine: “Sleep Experts Prescribe Standard Time” 
Coalition for Permanent Standard Time: “Congress Should Put Us on Standard Time” 
National Sleep Foundation: “National Sleep Foundation’s 2025 Sleep in America Poll”
Farmer’s Almanac: “Daylight Saving Time 2025” 
Time and Date: “Your Guide to DST 2025: When Does the Clock Change End?”

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Issue 1: No Congressional Pay

1. Is it fair for lawmakers to receive a paycheck while many federal employees are furloughed or forced to work without pay?
2. Do you think that withholding pay of congress members would be an effective incentive to avoid a government shutdown? Why or why not?
3. Some members of congress have announced they are giving up their paychecks or donating them to charity during the government shutdown. If you were a member of congress, would you keep your paycheck or give it up? Why or why not?
4. Does focusing on congressional pay distract from the real problem of partisan gridlock and an inability to compromise on budget matters? Why or why not?
5. Could a “no pay” rule actually encourage more shutdowns? Could a shutdown be used as a political tactic to exert pressure on opponents?

Issue 2: Daylight Saving Time

1. How does “springing forward” and “falling back” affect you personally? Which time zone do you prefer and why?
2. Do you believe there is enough scientific consensus and public support to switch to permanent standard time or permanent daylight saving time, or should the current system continue? Why?
3. How does standard time align with natural human biology, and are there any health risks associated with permanent standard time?
4. What are the potential risks or benefits of permanent daylight saving time on our sleep, mood, and overall wellbeing?
5. Compare and contrast the economic advantages and disadvantages of permanent standard time to permanent daylight saving time. Which is better for the economy overall? Explain your answer.

RESEARCH LINKS

POSSE COMITATUS is a Latin phrase meaning “the power of the county.” Historically, posse comitatus referred to the common-law authority of a county sheriff to deputize any able-bodied civilian to help enforce the law, keep the peace, or capture a criminal.

Issue 1: Troops in U.S. Cities
Brookings Institution: “What’s the President’s Legal Basis for Sending Troops?” 
CNN: “Trump Signs Executive Order to Address Crime In Cities” 
Washington Post: “Pentagon Plans Military Deployment in Chicago” 
House.gov: “Rep. Norton Remarks on ‘No Troops on Our Streets’ Press Conference”
Christian Science Monitor: “Trump Sending National Guard Where Crime Is Highest”
Center for American Progress: “Trump Sending National Guard Where Crime Highest” 

Issue 2: Ticket Transparency
Congress.gov: H.R.1402 “TICKET Act”
Government Accountability Office: “Report on Event Ticket Sales” 
National Independent Talent Organization: “NITO Ticket Resale Study”
nivassoc.org: “Fix the Tix Coalition” Website
Federal Trade Commission: “FTC Takes Action Against Ticket Resellers Illegal Tactics”
Variety: “NITO’s Nathaniel Marro on Solutions for the Corrupt Ticketing Business” 

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Issue 1: Troops in U.S. Cities

1. Do you support or oppose the federal government sending troops into American cities to deter crime? Why or why not?
2. Is the federal government overstepping its authority by using troops to enforce federal immigration law or to counter local civil unrest? Why or why not?
3. What role does the media play in shaping public perception of unrest and the necessity of federal intervention?
4. What ethical dilemmas might military personnel face when ordered to act as domestic law enforcement in U.S. cities?
5. Do some political leaders frame crime in certain cities as a way to justify federal intervention? Why or why not? How might claims of a “breakdown in law and order” shape public perception and political discourse?

Issue 2: Ticket Transparency

1. Do you support or oppose congress passing the “TICKET Act” to require sellers to disclose to consumers the total price for event tickets? Why or why not?
2. Have you ever experienced frustration when attempting to buy event tickets? If so, do you think this bill might help streamline the process for consumers? Why or why not?
3. How does seeing the total, “all-in” ticket price from the start change consumer behavior? Does it empower buyers to comparison shop more effectively, or do they still focus on the base price?
4. How do provisions like the ban on deceptive websites and speculative tickets protect consumers? Do they go far enough, or do gaps remain, such as the “concierge service” loophole?
5. The “TICKET Act” would ban speculative ticketing but allow an exception for sellers offering “concierge services” to obtain tickets on behalf of a consumer. How should regulators and consumers evaluate whether a seller is legitimately offering a service versus engaging in a deceptive practice?

RESEARCH LINKS

THE ‘KIDS ONLINE SAFETY ACT,’ or KOSA, would create “duty of care” requirements for tech companies to prevent and mitigate specific harms to minors, including promotion of suicide, eating disorders, substance abuse, sexual exploitation, and advertisements for certain products (e.g. tobacco and alcohol).

Issue One: Kids Online Safety Act

Congress.gov: S.1748, “Kids Online Safety Act” (KOSA) 
Senate.gov: “Kids Online Safety Act” Fact Sheet 
Heritage Foundation: “Don’t Let Empty Objections Stop the Kids Online Safety Act” 
Time Magazine: “What to Know About the Kids Online Safety Act and Where It Stands” 
Electronic Frontier Foundation: “KOSA Will Make the Internet Worse for Everyone” 
Tech Policy Press: “How KOSA Has Evolved as Negotiations Ensue” 

Issue Two: Stop Illegal Entry Act

Congress.gov: H.R.3486, the “Stop Illegal Entry Act” 
House.gov: “Rep. Bice, Sen. Cruz, & Colleagues Introduce Stop Illegal Reentry Act”
House.gov: “The Cost of Illegal Immigration to Taxpayers” 
National Immigrant Justice Center: “Stop Illegal Entry Act Explainer” 
The Hill: “Kate Steinle’s Father: We Didn’t Coin ‘Kate’s Law’”
Center Square: “Republicans Introduce Bills to Increase Penalties for Illegal Crossings” 

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Issue One: Kids Online Safety Act

1. What are the arguments in favor of the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) and its potential benefits for teenagers online? What are the potential drawbacks of KOSA (e.g., freedom of speech)?
2. Do you feel that the KOSA legislation effectively balances the need to protect children online with the importance of free speech and expression? Why or why not?
3. One of KOSA’s goals is to address the impact of the internet on youth mental health. Do you believe the bill effectively does this? Why or why not?
4. If you were a member of congress, what changes (if any) would you make to the KOSA bill? Why?
5. How have social media and online platforms affected you, your family, and/or friends? Lawmakers listen to personal testimonies and stories.

Issue Two: Stop Illegal Entry Act

1. The United States shares 7,500 miles of land border with Canada and Mexico, as well as rivers, lakes, and coastal waters along both borders. What are some possible solutions to the challenges of immigration and border security in the U.S.?
2. Should states be allowed to implement their own immigration policies, or should immigration enforcement remain a federal responsibility? Explain why.
3. Is the “Stop Illegal Entry Act” the best policy solution to the problem, or are there alternative approaches to addressing illegal entry and immigration? If so, what might those be?
4. How do you think the news media portrays immigration issues in the U.S.? What is the impact of that portrayal?
5. How are business owners and the economy affected by current immigration policies, particularly in sectors reliant on immigrant labor? 

RESEARCH LINKS

THE PUSH TO RAISE THE FEDERAL MINIMUM WAGE comes up nearly every year in congress—with Democrats typically for it and Republicans against it.

Issue 1: Minimum Wage

House.gov: “Raise the Wage Act of 2025” Bill Text
Economic Policy Institute: “Impact of the Raise the Wage Act of 2025”
Heritage Foundation: “Increasing the Minimum Wage Comes at Too High a Price”
National Employment Law Project: “Why Every Job Should Pay a Living Wage”
Wharton/University of PA: “Why Raising the Minimum Wage Has Long-term Costs”
Investopedia.com: “What Are the Pros and Cons of Raising the Minimum Wage?”

Issue 2: Voter Registration (SAVE Act)

Congress.gov: H.R.22 “The SAVE Act”
House.gov: “Rep. Roy Introduces Bill to Protect the Integrity of American Elections”
Center for American Progress: “The SAVE Act Would Disenfranchise Citizens”
House.gov: “SAVE Act Fact Sheet”
National Education Association: “NEA Urges House to Vote No on the SAVE Act”
National Conference of State Legislatures: “9 Things to Know About the SAVE Act”

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Issue 1: Minimum Wage

1. Would an increase in the minimum wage boost consumer spending and economic growth? Why or why not?
2. What are the potential negative effects of raising the federal minimum wage? Examples might include inflation, price increases, and/or jobs loss or reduced hours. Would any negative effects outweigh the positives? Why or why not?
3. Imagine you are a business owner who employs workers at the current minimum wage. How might you respond to a minimum wage increase? Would you raise prices, reduce staff, or find ways to increase efficiency?
4. What are the potential social benefits of raising the minimum wage, such as reduced poverty and crime?
5. Is the minimum wage best addressed on a national or state level, and why?

Issue 2: Voter Registration (SAVE Act)

1. If passed, the SAVE Act would require American citizens to produce documents like a passport or birth certificate to register to vote. Do you feel this measure would strengthen or weaken Americans’ voting rights? Why?
2. Opponents of the SAVE Act say it is an example of congress using its authority to create needless obstacles for voters. Do you agree? Why or why not?
3. The SAVE Act would upend Americans’ access to mail-in and online voter registration. How might this measure negatively impact people who live in rural areas?
4. Proponents of the SAVE Act say it will preserve and strengthen the “integrity and sanctity” of U.S. elections. Do you agree? Why or why not?
5. Should ballot access and voting rights be a partisan issue? Why or why not?

THE ‘KIDS OFF SOCIAL MEDIA ACT’ (KOSMA) seeks to address concerns about social media and youth mental health. But does it offer an effective solution to the problem?

RESEARCH LINKS

Issue 1: Official Language
WhiteHouse.gov: Executive Order, “Designating English as Official Language”
U.S. Census Bureau: “Most Americans Speak Only English at Home”
Linguistic Society of America: “Statement Against English as Official Language”
Cato Institute: “Immigrants Learn English: Language Acquisition Rates by Country”
Close Up Foundation: “Should the U.S. Designate an Official Language?”
Heritage Foundation: “The Need for Upholding Our National Language”

Issue 2: Kids Off Social Media Act
Congress.gov: S.278, “Kids Off Social Media Act”
The Lancet: “School Phone Policies and Their Association with Wellbeing Study”
The Verge: “Another Bill Wants to Ban Kids from Social Media”
Politico: “Bill Banning Social Media for Youngsters Advances”
OpEd: “Social Media is a Major Cause of the Mental Illness Epidemic in Teen Girls”
EdWeek Market Brief: “Fate of Far-Reaching Social Media Regulations Is Uncertain”
ITIF.org: “The Kids Off Social Media Act Misses the Mark on Children’s Online Safety”
Experian Blog: “What Is Child Identity Theft?”

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Issue 1: Official Language

1. Do you think that designating English as the official language of the United States encourages immigrants to learn English? Why or why not?
2. Those for making English the official language of the U.S. say that establishing one shared language would foster a stronger sense of national identity and unity. Do you agree? Why or why not?
3. Read the arguments for and against designating English as the official language of the U.S. in the Close Up Foundation article (link above). Where do you stand on the issue? Why? Write a paragraph or two outlining your position and summarize your arguments in bullet points.
4. Does designating one language (namely English) as “official” undermine values such as inclusivity and honoring various cultural heritages? Why or why not?
5. What if there was only one language spoken and written by all people across the globe? Would the world be a better place? Why or why not?

Issue 2: Kids Off Social Media Act

1. The “Kids Off Social Media Act” is intended to help alleviate youth mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and suicide. Do you think the bill, if passed, would ultimately help children and teens with their mental health? Why or why not?
2. Does the KOSMA bill provide the best solution to problems that may develop when youth use social media? These might include youth depression and suicide, child identity theft (see Experian link above), and other types of youth exploitation. Would you propose another solution? If so, what would that be?
3. What are some of the best and worst things about using social media as a child or teen?
4. How do you feel when you spend a lot of time on social media? Are there times when you wish you could stay off social media altogether? Why or why not?
5. What do you think the social media platforms you use know about you? How do you feel about that?