For three days, JSAers can almost literally imitate the process of passing a law, only a few miles away from where it happens for real. The beauty of Winter Congress is that, due to the fact that it takes place in Washington, DC, the bills that students have created themselves have so much more importance; the life of a politician, along with their stress, competitors and opponents can truly be felt. Each student is assigned to a different room where they play the role of a senator or congressmen. During the course of the convention, statesmen present, vote on, and argue against a hand picked variety of bills and only a few make it through both the Senate and House of Representatives in the end– only the strongest and most popular issues are given the honor of being made into a law. And when bills aren’t being debated, students have time to dine in DC and attend either a monument tour or a dance in the evening– which are all excellent opportunities for people to get to know people who don’t necessarily live in the same state, since JSA regions all over the east coast come together for this weekend. Winter Congress is also where statesmen for the upcoming Spring State election are nominated for candidacy, and so the campaigning beings.

—-Safia Ansari