Supreme Court Hears Critical Case on Executive Power
Ask students: How does the "Chevron deference" provide the executive branch the power to regulate industries like fishing?
The Supreme Court heard arguments about whether a group of East Coast fishermen should be required to pay for a costly monitoring system on their boats. The fishermen are being supported by industry groups who want to curtail government regulation and the outcome could have enormous impacts far beyond the fishing industry. William Brangham discussed the case with Carrie Johnson of NPR.
For a transcript of this story, click here.
Discussion Questions
- Who are the people that brought the case discussed in this story to the Supreme Court?
- What do the plaintiffs (those suing the government) claim is governmental overreach?
- How does the "Chevron deference" provide the executive branch the power to regulate industries like fishing?
- Why might the Supreme Court eliminate the Chevron deference?
- Who would make decisions about regulations if the power was removed from the executive branch?
Focus Questions
After listening to this story, what do you think would be the biggest impact of doing away with "Chevron deference"? What people would be most impacted?
Media literacy: Whose perspectives would you want to hear more from to understand the purpose and consequences of the Chevron deference?
Extension Activity
Discuss as a class: How do government regulations affect your day to day life? What are the tradeoffs involved in the government creating regulations?
The Supreme Court: Balancing the Branches Lesson Plans
Explore free, classroom-ready lessons on the Supreme Court, the Constitution, and the balance of power among the three branches. From landmark cases to today's biggest civic debates, Share My Lesson helps students build the background knowledge and critical-thinking skills to understand how government really works.
Republished with permission from PBS NewsHour Classroom.
PBS News Hour Classroom helps teachers and students identify the who, what, where and why-it-matters of the major national and international news stories. The site combines the best of News Hour's reliable, trustworthy news program with lesson plans developed specifically for... See More
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