Interest Groups and Lobbying
As you know, interest groups are organizations of people with shared policy goals who seek to influence
policymaking through lobbying, electioneering, litigation, and by “going public”. While the means may vary
across interest groups and policies, the ends are the same: each interest group seeks to shape public and political
opinion in favor or against particular issues.
You have just earned a relatively high-paying job as a lobbyist in a national interest group that regularly lobbies
Congress to support or oppose pending legislation. Your first assignment is to work with a partner—another
young lobbyist new to the organization—to develop a brief presentation for members of Congress on a bill
pending before the legislature. Using any of the tools at the disposal of interest groups, you will work to
persuade the legislators (your classmates) to either support or oppose the bill. The following steps will walk you
through the assignment.
 Step 1: Assignment of student pairs, legislation, and interest group based on interest survey.
 Step 2: Research your assigned interest group and complete the “Research Questions” handout to better
understand your interest group’s likely position on the bill.
 Step 3: Develop a 3-6 minute presentation that will capture the attention of members of Congress (the
rest of your classmates), proving why they should vote in favor or against the bill. This presentation
should be grounded in facts, though it may also be appropriate to sensationalize the issue, as interest
groups so often do. Your presentation must be supplemented with an infographic created on easel.ly
(www.easel.ly).
 Step 4: Deliver your presentation to members of Congress, who will hear arguments from interest groups
who support and oppose the bill. Once both interest groups have presented, Congress will vote on
whether the legislation should be adopted. The “winning” interest group will receive 10 points of extra
credit on their next unit test.
Name: ______________________________________
Interest Groups and Immigration Reform
Research Questions
Circle the interest group below that you and your partner have been assigned to study:
National Council
of La Raza
Federation for American
Immigration Reform
or
Both of these interest groups are interested in the following piece of pending legislation:
The Federal Financial Aid for All Act would provide federal financial aid to illegal
immigrants who came to the United States before the age of sixteen and graduated
from a high school in the United States. These illegal immigrants would be eligible for
federal financial aid if they enroll and attend on a full-time basis a two- or four-year
college or university. Students who successfully earn an Associate’s degree or a
Bachelor’s degree would then be eligible for lawful permanent resident status, enabling
them to legally live and work in the United States.
*
*
*
(1) Go to the following website to learn more about your interest group:
National Council of La Raza = nclr.org
Federation for American Immigration Reform = fairus.org
(2) What are the priorities of this interest group?
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
(3) Why might this interest group be concerned about this legislation?
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
(4) From the perspective of this interest group, should Congress support or oppose this legislation? A one-word
answer is appropriate here, unless you believe the interest group’s position is more complicated than that.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
(5) Using both resources available on the interest group’s website, as well as other material online, what are the
best arguments that can be made to convince Congress to either support or oppose this legislation? List these
arguments in bulleted-fashion below.
Name: ______________________________________
Interest Groups and Gun Control
Research Questions
Circle the interest group below that you and your partner have been assigned to study:
Brady Center to Prevent
Gun Violence
or
The National Rifle Association
Both of these interest groups are interested in the following piece of pending legislation:
The Assault Weapons Ban would prohibit the sale, manufacture, transfer, and
importation of 157 of the most commonly-owned military-style assault weapons, or
otherwise possess one or more military characteristics. The bill would also ban largecapacity magazines and other ammunition feeding devices that hold more than 10
rounds of ammunition.
*
*
*
(1) Go to the following website to learn more about your interest group:
Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence = bradycenter.org
The National Rifle Association = home.nra.org/#
(2) What are the priorities of this interest group?
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
(3) Why might this interest group be concerned about this legislation?
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
(4) From the perspective of this interest group, should Congress support or oppose this legislation? A one-word
answer is appropriate here, unless you believe the interest group’s position is more complicated than that.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
(5) Using both resources available on the interest group’s website, as well as other material online, what are the
best arguments that can be made to convince Congress to either support or oppose this legislation? List these
arguments in bulleted-fashion below.
Name: ______________________________________
Interest Groups and Same-Sex Marriage
Research Questions
Circle the interest group below that you and your partner have been assigned to study:
Human Rights Campaign
or
Family Research Council
Both of these interest groups are interested in the following piece of pending legislation:
The Equality in Marriage for All Act would allow same-sex couples to marry, entitling
them to all of the benefits under federal law that accompany marriage while also
preserving the right of clergy or religious organizations to refuse to perform,
recognize, or accommodate any marriage ceremony.
*
*
*
(1) Go to the following website to learn more about your interest group:
Human Rights Campaign = hrc.org
Family Research Council = frc.org
(2) What are the priorities of this interest group?
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
(3) Why might this interest group be concerned about this legislation?
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
(4) From the perspective of this interest group, should Congress support or oppose this legislation? A one-word
answer is appropriate here, unless you believe the interest group’s position is more complicated than that.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
(5) Using both resources available on the interest group’s website, as well as other material online, what are the
best arguments that can be made to convince Congress to either support or oppose this legislation? List these
arguments in bulleted-fashion below.
Name: ______________________________________
Interest Groups and Abortion
Research Questions
Circle the interest group below that you and your partner have been assigned to study:
Planned Parenthood
or
National Right to Life
Both of these interest groups are interested in the following piece of pending legislation:
The Preservation of Life Act would prohibit a doctor from performing an abortion (1)
after a fetal heartbeat can be detected, which ordinarily can happen within the first six
weeks of a pregnancy, or (2) because of a genetic abnormality, even in instances where
such abnormality may ultimately result in the death of the child. Doctors who perform
such abortions may be charged with a felony punishable by up to five years in prison.
*
*
*
(1) Go to the following website to learn more about your interest group:
Planned Parenthood = plannedparenthood.org
National Right to Life = nrlc.org
(2) What are the priorities of this interest group?
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
(3) Why might this interest group be concerned about this legislation?
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
(4) From the perspective of this interest group, should Congress support or oppose this legislation? A one-word
answer is appropriate here, unless you believe the interest group’s position is more complicated than that.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
(5) Using both resources available on the interest group’s website, as well as other material online, what are the
best arguments that can be made to convince Congress to either support or oppose this legislation? List these
arguments in bulleted-fashion below.
Using Public Opinion Research As a Persuasive Tool
Directions: Interest groups often conduct their own polling or use the poll results of polling firms to prove to
lawmakers that the positions they are advocating are widely supported by the public at large. Using iPOLL, locate polls
that are directly or indirectly related to the bill you are studying. Identify several polls that may be useful in your
presentation, and list/describe them below.
1)
Source of poll: ___________________________________________ Field Dates: _________________________
Brief explanation of how the poll results benefit your position:
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
2) Source of poll: ___________________________________________ Field Dates: _________________________
Brief explanation of how the poll results benefit your position:
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
3) Source of poll: ___________________________________________ Field Dates: _________________________
Brief explanation of how the poll results benefit your position:
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Congressional Ballot
For HB 1201, The Federal Financial Aid for All Act, which would provide federal financial aid to undocumented
immigrants, how do you vote?:
 Yea
 Nay
For HB 1371, The Assault Weapons Ban, which would ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, how do you
vote?
 Yea
 Nay
For HB 1442, The Equality in Marriage for All Act, which would allow gay couples to marry, while protecting the right
of a church to refuse to perform a same-sex ceremony, how do you vote?
 Yea
 Nay
For HB 1511, The Preservation of Life Act, which would make it a felony offense for a doctor to terminate a pregnancy
after a fetal heartbeat can be detected, or for any genetic abnormalities, how do you vote?
 Yea
 Nay
Congressional Ballot
For HB 1201, The Federal Financial Aid for All Act, which would provide federal financial aid to undocumented
immigrants, how do you vote?:
 Yea
 Nay
For HB 1371, The Assault Weapons Ban, which would ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, how do you
vote?
 Yea
 Nay
For HB 1442, The Equality in Marriage for All Act, which would allow gay couples to marry, while protecting the right
of a church to refuse to perform a same-sex ceremony, how do you vote?
 Yea
 Nay
For HB 1511, The Preservation of Life Act, which would make it a felony offense for a doctor to terminate a pregnancy
after a fetal heartbeat can be detected, or for any genetic abnormalities, how do you vote?
 Yea
 Nay
Name: __________________________________________
Issue Interest Survey
Rank order the following issues based on your overall level of interest in the issue (1 = most interested).
_______ Abortion
_______ Same-Sex Marriage
_______ Gun Control
_______ Immigration Reform
Name: __________________________________________
Issue Interest Survey
Rank order the following issues based on your overall level of interest in the issue (1 = most interested).
_______ Abortion
_______ Same-Sex Marriage
_______ Gun Control
_______ Immigration Reform
Name: __________________________________________
Issue Interest Survey
Rank order the following issues based on your overall level of interest in the issue (1 = most interested).
_______ Abortion
_______ Same-Sex Marriage
_______ Gun Control
_______ Immigration Reform
Interest Group and Lobbying Campaign Easel.ly Presentation Rubric
Your presentation will seek to convince Congress (your classmates) that they should either support or oppose pending
legislation on abortion, gun control, same-sex marriage, or immigration reform. For purposes of this presentation in
particular, concision will be important: you are limited to 5 minutes, so please use your time strategically and wisely.
To help you in that endeavor, you will be creating an infographic that reflects the complexity of the issue in the most
visually appealing way. The presentation will proceed as follows:
 Introduction: Identify who you represent and the issue Congress must consider;
 Position: Identify your interest group’s position on the issue, providing specific evidence and arguments which
enhance the persuasiveness of your position;
 Infographic: Visually represent some quantitative or qualitative aspect of your issue by using easel.ly to create
an infographic;
 Conclusion: Recap your position by urging Congress to vote in a particular direction.
You will be allowed to use the first 15 minutes of class on Tuesday, March 26 to finish preparing your presentation.
However, your easel.ly infographic must be emailed to me (taylj006@hartfordschools.org) no later than midnight on
Monday, March 25. These will be printed and distributed during the presentations to assist Congress in its decisions.
Introduction
Position
Persuasiveness
Infographic
Eye Contact
Poise
Length of
Presentation
Preparedness
Exemplary (4)
Acceptable (3)
Limited (2)
Deficient (1)
Group begins their
presentation with a
focused and engaging
introduction to their issue
Group begins their
presentation with a clear
introduction to their issue
Group begins their
presentation with a vague
introduction to their issue
Group does not begin their
presentation with an
introduction to their issue
Group’s articulation of
their position on the issue
is exemplary
Group’s articulation of
their position on the issue
is acceptable
Group’s articulation of
their position on the issue
is limited
Group’s articulation of
their position on the issue
is deficient
Presentation is
characterized by an
exceptional level of
persuasiveness
Presentation is
characterized by an
acceptable level of
persuasiveness
Presentation is
characterized by a limited
level of persuasiveness
Presentation is
characterized by
essentially no level of
persuasiveness
Develops an accurate and
visually-compelling
infographic that directly
relates to the issue
presented
Maintains eye contact all
of the time
Develops a reasonably
accurate and visuallycompelling infographic
that relates to the issue
presented
Maintains eye contact
most of the time
Develops a minimally
accurate and/or not
visually-compelling
infographic that relates to
the issue presented
Maintains eye contact
some of the time
Either does not provide an
infographic related to the
issue presented, or the
infographic presented is
extremely deficient
Does not maintain eye
contact
Speaks with suitable pace
and clarity all of the time,
almost never using verbal
fillers
Speaks with suitable pace
and clarity most of the
time, only occasionally
using verbal fillers
Speaks with suitable pace
and clarity some of the
time, often using verbal
fillers
Fails to speak with suitable
pace and clarity,
consistently using verbal
fillers
Presentation is between 36 minutes, as required
Presentation is either too
short or too long
Infographic is submitted
on time
Infographic is not
submitted on time
TOTAL
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