What Does a Congresswoman Do?

The duties and responsibilities of a congresswoman are the same as a congressman and are largely involved in the creation of laws. Congresspersons, who can be either male or female, can be elected at various levels of government and can serve in a number of different types of legislature, depending on the structure of a particular government. In the US, for example, federal congresswomen are elected into either the House of Representatives or the US Senate, as both bodies are part of congress. A congresswoman is part of the legislative branch in the US, which means that she is responsible for potentially drafting and reviewing bills, and then voting in favor of or against a bill becoming a law.

One of the primarily duties of a congresswoman is to draft and review bills in the legislature. Drafting a bill is a process by which she can create a document that she then proposes to become a law. Review is usually done on a bill that she did not create, as a congresswoman can look over the details of a bill to determine its merits. She can also propose changes or revisions that may be utilized to amend the bill before it is voted upon.

A congresswoman is also primarily responsible for answering to her constituents who she is meant to represent. Both the US House of Representatives and Senate are meant as legislative bodies for congresspersons elected to represent the people of their districts. Once a congresswoman is elected, the people who voted for her typically expect her to represent their interests and ensure that the bills she proposes or approves are beneficial to them. Congresswomen who fail to listen to their constituents and represent them improperly are likely to find reelection difficult.

There are also a number of different panels and commissions in which a congresswoman can take part, which are often intended to serve as a means by which a particular subject, issue, or bill can be more closely considered. Once appointed to this type of commission, she is typically expected to focus on the issues being discussed, and represent the interests of her constituents. This process can involve numerous days or weeks spent with other congresspersons to review an issue or bill and determine its merits or consider problems that may impact the country, state, or city in general. A congresswoman on such a commission, along with the other members of it, can then put forth a recommendation or propose a bill based upon the findings of the commission.