U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam visited Henry Puffer School on Friday, May 12 to meet with fourth, fifth and sixth graders and teach them how a bill becomes a law. The students eagerly answered his questions and impressed Rep. Roskam with their prior knowledge of governance.
Rep. Roskam asked students to share things they wished were laws. One student, Anthony, said he wished he could get his driver's license at 14. Using Anthony's idea as an example, Rep. Roskam showed students what the process would look like if Anthony were a congressman working to pass a bill to lower the driving age. The students provided insightful reasons for why -- and why not -- it would be a good idea to lower the driving age to 14.
Rep. Roskam closed the lesson by answering questions from the audience. Students asked a variety of challenging questions: How do you decide whether to say "yes" or "no" to a bill? Is your job difficult? How many bills are introduced each year? Do bills ever come from Downers Grove? Rep. Roskam answered each question thoughtfully, acknowledging the challenges and joys of his position.
Thank you, U.S. Rep. Roskam, for visiting with Henry Puffer today!