ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, December 6, 1995 TAG: 9512060040
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: DUBLIN
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER STAFF WRITER
The session was winding down and the pressure was on.
Senators and representatives had only 25 minutes of government class left to deal with one another's bills.
A proposal to distribute condoms at all public high schools bit the dust. So did proposals to add taxes to alcohol and tobacco products, require drugs tests for college athletes, ban smoking in public places and delay weapons purchases for a five-day background check.
One house or another in Pulaski County High School's mock Congress threw out bills that would require public colleges to provide an escort service, create a welfare credit card, raise the minimum wage to $6 an hour, and cap college tuition so freshmen would pay the same rate through all four years at a university.
"They didn't pass any of ours," gasped one student senator.
But it wasn't quite that bad. Some bills were accepted, some amended. No bill went down without a brief but spirited debate.
The Congress is a regular part of Bill Meyer's government class, something he started doing some 13 years ago as a student teacher and has been refining ever since.
Meyer kept the student legislators on track as the minutes dwindled, reflecting the pressures on actual legislators. He told students from each house they could confer in hallways but not interrupt one another's sessions to try and get a bill through. He reminded them not to let rejection of a bill get personal and to remember the scope of their jobs and obligations to the nation.
The entire congressional session at Pulaski County High School lasted about 10 class periods.
The students who took part will probably never look at televised congressional debates the same way again.
Charles "Nooks" Robinson, majority whip in the House, admitted watching legislators in action previously and not being sure what was going on.
"Living it's a whole new experience," he said.
"It really helps a lot to do it instead of just reading about it," agreed Nat Olinger, who was acting minority Senate whip.
Students start by choosing, then writing, a member of the House or Senate. They also do research on whatever state they are going to represent.
Senate Majority Whip Jay James looked west for his state. "I just like Colorado," he said. "I want to live there."
Did he uncover any surprises in his research of the state? "I found out a few crazy laws they have," he said.
Vivian Ann Rash, House minority whip, wanted to represent Georgia. But when she wrote the office of Rep. Newt Gingrich, she got no reply. So she called, and said a press secretary informed her that Gingrich had other matters that were more significant to occupy his attention.
"Well, thanks," she said, and chose another state. A few other students got no replies from their chosen legislators, but most of those contacted came through.
The legislative session itself lasted two weeks, enough time to assign members to various committees, consider bills, file amendments, and hold conferences.
During those weeks, Meyer gave the students oral tests on various facets of the House and Senate. He provided material for the students to study.
"But you don't know what questions you're going to get," Rash said.
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