AO1: Congress has taken steps to protect civil rights in particular in line with party policy AO2: This has been a key feature of Democratic policy since the 1950s and 1960s and has led to the passage of several key civil rights Acts AO3: Many of these Acts have been passed to consolidate or strengthen decisions made by the Supreme Court, demonstrating the need for legislative protection AO1: Congress can amend Constitution e.g. Bill of Rights and attempts to pass Equal Rights Amendment AO2: This means that Congress can take pro-active steps to protect civil rights and to enshrine those rights within the constitution AO3: This means that rights are more effectively protected as they become entrenched and more difficult to overturn AO1: Congress can pass legislation that extends rights without constitutional amendments e.g. Voting Rights Act etc AO2: This allows additional rights to be legally protected, and also allows for clarification of issues arising from the wording of the Constitution AO3: This is also an easier and quicker process than judicial protection, as judicial review can take years to reach the Supreme AO1: Court AO2: Congress can legislate on issues not provided by Constitution e.g. modernising society/reacting to events and does not have to wait for cases to be brought to it, unlike SC AO3: This allows the protection of rights to be updated in line with a modern society, and arguably is best protected by elected individuals who are responsive to the changing needs of the electorate

AO1: The Supreme Court can be more neutral and impartial rather than ideologically driven AO2: This allows their decisions to be independent of political influence AO3: This can mean that civil and constitutional rights can be upheld or even extended based on the rights contained within the Constitution despite a lack of political will to enact specific legislation AO1: The Supreme Court’s main role is to act as the arbiter of the Constitution AO2: This means that issues related to rights may be considered from a constitutional and legal standpoint rather than a political or a populist base AO3: This can allow rights within the Constitution or legislation to be upheld even if this disagrees with the current ideology of the president or AO1: Congress AO2: The Supreme Court can deal with issues raised by individuals and interest that Congress does not/will not deal with AO3: This gives another route for minorities to raise issues that the political majority do not want to tackle because of ideology/controversial nature of the issue AO1: This can subsequently lead to change in the law as Supreme Court decisions can demonstrate that the Constitution is in line with popular support/demand for a change in civil rights policy e.g. gay marriage AO2: SC can uphold presidential actions that extend rights that Congress do not agree with AO3: This allows presidents to make use of their additional legislative powers e.g. executive orders to extend civil rights even in times of divided government