Object

Family Support Act (spoken reference — S01E19)

Referenced in a key political exchange in The West Wing, serving as a narrative device.

1 appearances

Purpose

A legislative bill intended to set or change policy on family support; in the processed material its operational purpose is to be revived or attached as wedge‑issue legislation and used tactically for political retaliation.

Significance

The Family Support Act operates as a rhetorical weapon: leadership aides threaten to revive it to punish the White House, converting the bill into leverage that hardens Josh's stance, escalates the administration's confrontation with Congress, and marks a turning point in political tactics and moral resolve.

Appearances in the Narrative

When this object appears and how it's used

1 moments

S1E19 · Let Bartlet Be Bartlet

The Room Empties — Josh's Quiet Resolve

The 'Family Support Act' is invoked verbally as a rhetorical threat — a naming of an old legislative cudgel to signal retaliation. It functions narratively as a promised policy weapon rather than a physical item.

Before: Not physically present; exists as legislative history and a potential threat.

After: Remains a rhetorical dagger in the aides' arsenal; its mention has sharpened the stakes for Josh.

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