Date

5-2024

Document Type

Capstone Project (Open Access)

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)

Department

Health, Human Services and Public Policy

Major

Collaborative Health and Human Services

Abstract

The tolerance the House of Representatives has with its own Members is resulting in more egregious acts receiving no consequences, and shows the lack of political accountability built into the structure of Congress. The Washington D.C. office of Congressman Tony Cárdenas represents the 29th district in California, and one of its main functions is listening to constituents' political concerns, and addressing them through legislation. The concerns called into the office during the censure of Rep. Tlaib resulted in the analysis of political accountability in the U.S. House of Representatives, the accountability systems in similar democracies, and how they related to the current situation. Though an intern in a congressional office does not have the power to push these issues to the House Floor, or even influence the way a Member will vote, this reporting addresses the errors in the system nobody else is discussing. This resulted in an intimate understanding of how U.S. Representatives act, and what influences their decision making. Recommendations include the inclusion of suspension in punishment policy of Members, and the term “censure” be removed, while the policy of censure be absorbed into reprimand, to give the voters a better understanding of what happens in a censure resolution. Better publication of what the negative actions of Members result in, or the creation of a resolution introducing suspensions to the House floor, would bring more appropriate consequences for Member actions.

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