House of Representatives Internet Activity

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This activity will allow you to learn about the member of the House of
Representatives who represents you in Congress.

Visit the Vote Smart website . This is a non-partisan website that
compiles information on office-holders.

At the top of the page is a search box. Enter your zip code to find out
which elected officials represent you.

Note that you need to enter your complete 9-digit zip code to find the
correct Representative. If you don’t know your 9-digit zip-code, find
out at the Post Office website http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/welcome.jsp.

When you enter your information, you will see a drop-down menu with
politicians who represent you, starting with the President, as well as
politicians who are running for office, who are designated with the
label “challenger.” Scroll down until you get to your Representative,
who will be labeled “U.S. House Incumbent,” and click on the name to
select that person. Then, click on the tab below the name that says “Bio.”

The biography page will list professional and political experience,
organizations, caucuses, etc. Be sure to expand all of the categories
(click on the small arrows) so that all of the information appears under
each category heading. Take a look at what other positions, political
and non-political, that your Representative has held. He or she may have
served in the New York State Assembly or in the New York City Council
before running for Congress. The textbook and lecture slides both talk
about the committee system. Every member of Congress serves on a few
committees, and subcommittees within those committees, working on
legislation under their jurisdiction. Check out the “Current Legislative
Committees” to see which committees and subcommittees your
Representative sits on.

House of Representatives Internet Activity

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You will probably also see a list of “Caucuses/Non-Legislative
Committees” your Representative belongs to. These are voluntary groups
that Representatives form and belong to in order to advance particular
policy goals or serve the interests of their constituents. Spend some
time looking at which caucuses your Representative belongs to, and think
about why he or she might have joined those groups. Do they reflect
particular issues related to New York City or to the area you live in?
Do they reflect particular issue positions? Do they relate to certain
groups of people who live in your district (keep in mind that your
district will expand beyond your particular neighborhood)?

Follow some of the other links at the top of the page, especially
“Ratings” and “Speeches.” Interest group ratings say a lot about a
politician’s positions, because they offer a score or grade based on
whether that politician has advanced that group’s interests or shared
their positions. For instance, if the National Rifle Association gives a
Representative an F, you know that person supports gun control.

As you browse through the site, try to use the information to figure out
where your representative stands on issues and think about how your
Representative’s background and positions fit with the district he/she
represents (the area where you live).

Follow the link on the biography page in the left column that says
“Washington DC Website” to see your Representative’s official site. This
will let you see how your Representative wants to present him or herself
to constituents-what kinds of accomplishments are highlighted and what
issues are raised?

You will use what you learned about your Representative

The Internet activity gave you a chance to learn about your
Representative’s background, positions, the committees and caucuses
he/she serves on, interest group ratings, etc. Based on what you
learned, do you feel like your congressperson does a good job of
representing you and/or your community? Why or why not? Be specific
about what led you to your conclusion-what issue positions or caucus
memberships or public statements influenced you

House of Representatives Internet Activity

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