Earlier this summer, I had the privilege of teaching hundreds of high school students at Generation Joshua’s iGovern Leadership Program. A key part of that teaching is a simulation of the United States Congress.

When high schoolers are empowered to write “bills” (proposals for new laws), it becomes rapidly evident that making a law, and even understanding how bills and laws relate, can be confusing and challenging (even for adults). More significantly, not being able to decipher a complex bill or how it changes existing law can have negative consequences.

In the fight to preserve freedom, educated citizens make a huge difference. To advance this end, HSLDA Action and Generation Joshua have put together a primer to help you read and understand a bill. We focus on federal legislation, but the principles generally apply at various levels of government, all the way down to your local town hall.