This activity will be submitted in the last lesson of the Public Policy Portfolio as part of your portfolio assessment. In this activity, you will conduct internet research to learn about the changes that were made to a particular policy. You will determine whether a sunset provision was applied, and whether amendments were made to the policy during its development. Using information from online reports or newspaper articles, you will map the five stages of the policy-making process for this policy. Question 1 Select a policy topic that you find interesting. It could be abortion, the death penalty, distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, the Voting Rights Act, the Patriot Act, or another topic you want to learn about. Search online to read newspaper articles about the policy. Read at least five articles from different newspapers. Did your policy have a sunset provision? Did Congress reevaluate the policy and make amendments? How did it change? Question 2 Consider the feedback loop shown in this lesson. Using newspaper articles and official government websites or reports, fill in the details for each of the five stages of the policy process. Record your answers on the portfolio worksheet.

Question

This activity will be submitted in the last lesson of the Public Policy Portfolio as part of your portfolio assessment. In this activity, you will conduct internet research to learn about the changes that were made to a particular policy. You will determine whether a sunset provision was applied, and whether amendments were made to the policy during its development. Using information from online reports or newspaper articles, you will map the five stages of the policy-making process for this policy. Question 1 Select a policy topic that you find interesting. It could be abortion, the death penalty, distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, the Voting Rights Act, the Patriot Act, or another topic you want to learn about. Search online to read newspaper articles about the policy. Read at least five articles from different newspapers. Did your policy have a sunset provision? Did Congress reevaluate the policy and make amendments? How did it change? Question 2 Consider the feedback loop shown in this lesson. Using newspaper articles and official government websites or reports, fill in the details for each of the five stages of the policy process. Record your answers on the portfolio worksheet.

Answer 1

Question 1:

Policy Topic: COVID-19 vaccine distribution

Sunset Provision: There was no specific mention of a sunset provision for the COVID-19 vaccine distribution policy in the articles that I read.

Amendments: Congress did not make amendments to the policy itself, but there were changes made to the distribution plan as more vaccines became available, and as new variants of the virus emerged. These changes included updates to eligibility criteria, vaccine distribution sites, and outreach efforts to underserved communities.

Question 2:

1. Agenda Setting: The COVID-19 vaccine distribution policy was brought to the forefront of the agenda by the global pandemic and the urgent need to vaccinate the population to control the spread of the virus.

2. Policy Formulation: Government agencies, public health officials, and medical experts worked together to develop a plan for vaccine distribution, including prioritizing high-risk groups, establishing distribution sites, and coordinating with states and healthcare providers.

3. Policy Adoption: Congress approved funding for vaccine distribution and authorized emergency use of the vaccines through the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval process.

4. Implementation: The vaccine distribution plan was carried out by federal, state, and local health authorities, healthcare providers, and community organizations. Efforts were made to ensure equitable access to vaccines for all eligible populations.

5. Evaluation: Ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the vaccine distribution process were conducted to assess progress, identify challenges, and make adjustments as needed to improve efficiency and effectiveness.