How Does a Member of Congress Act as a Trustee?

Video Transcript

"Hi, this is Bill Scher from LiberalOasis.com. How does a member of Congress act as a trustee on behalf of his or her constituents? Most notably they vote. They vote on legislation and act as a representative of how they believe their constituents would want them to vote. Additionally they also are a provider of constituent services often constituents who are having difficulties obtaining services from the federal government will turn to their representatives in Congress and the House and Senate to help them navigate the federal bureaucracy. Those are the two main ways that members of Congress serve as trustees on behalf of their constituents. Additionally members of Congress will seek to make sure there are in touch with what their constituents want by hosting regular town meetings in their home districts and states, though this is not a necessary requirement for the job, but something that generally all members of Congress do and make sure that they are seen in their home districts, are listening to what their constituents have to say and so they will be perceived rightly or wrongly as representing their interests in the capitol."