CONGRESSIONAL DEBATE TERMINOLOGY
LegislationA specific, written proposal (in the form of a "bill" or "resolution") made by a member or committee for an assembly to debate.
|
BillA type of legislation that describes the details of how a policy would be enacted, if voted into law by the assembly.
|
ResolutionAn expression of conviction, or value belief on an assembly, which may urge, request or suggest further action by another decision-making authority.
|
DocketThe complete packet of legislation distributed to members of the assembly.
|
Chair/ Presiding OfficerThe leader who runs meetings by recognizing members to speak and introduce motions.
|
FloorWhen a member has the full attention of the assembly to speak (also refers to the area where the assembly meets, where its members speak, and where it conducts business).
|
CommitteeA small group of members who meet and bring recommendations to the full assembly.
|
AmendmentA specific change to an item of legislation, explaining exactly which words it modifies either by adding, substituting, or striking from a bill or resolution.
|
QuestioningThe period where the members of the assembly ask individual question of the speaker.
|
PrecedenceRule the will be utilized in the Shepard Congress whereby the chair will choose speakers who have spoken least or have not spoken at all.
|
AgendaThe order of legislation as suggested by a committee or member, or members, and voted on by the assembly.
|
Writing a Speech
Now that you are familiar with parliamentary procedure it is now time for you to figure out how to deliver a speech to the gathered assembly. Below you will find sample bill of Resolutions that have been used by the Indiana High School Forensics Association over the last few years. It will be your task to use the information and research contained within these bills and resolutions to draft a negative as well as affirmative speech that you will deliver.
Using the file below you will need to search for current laws and statues in Indiana that may be relevant to your proposed bill.
|
Using the file below you will begin drafting your bill that will contain the arguments for the bill and the anticipated results from the bill's passage.
|
Using the template below to prepare your final bill for presentation to the Shepard Academy Mock Congress for consideration.
|
Potential Bills for Speech Writing, Delivery, and Floor Debate
You will need to Choose 2 of the 3 bills (#6, #7, #13) below to prepare and deliver a speech
Bill #6 A Bill for Colleges and Universities to Pay College Athletes
BE IT ENACTED BY THIS SHEPARD ACADEMY CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:
Section 1: College and university athletic organizations (i.e. NCAA, NAIA) may not prohibit student athletes from receiving monetary compensation for participation in athletic programs.
Section 2: Colleges and universities are at liberty to compensate athletes as each institution's governing body decides.
Section 3: Compensation may be made for, but not limited to, play, use of athlete likeness, and name, and school sponsored appearances in public or for recording.
Section 4: This legislation shall take effect at the beginning of the 2014-2015 academic school year.
Section 5: All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void.
Section 1: College and university athletic organizations (i.e. NCAA, NAIA) may not prohibit student athletes from receiving monetary compensation for participation in athletic programs.
Section 2: Colleges and universities are at liberty to compensate athletes as each institution's governing body decides.
Section 3: Compensation may be made for, but not limited to, play, use of athlete likeness, and name, and school sponsored appearances in public or for recording.
Section 4: This legislation shall take effect at the beginning of the 2014-2015 academic school year.
Section 5: All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void.
Bill #7 Bill to Enact National Voting Standards
BE IT ENACTED BY THIS SHEPARD ACADEMY CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:
Section 1: The Federal Elections Commission (FEC) is tasked with creating standardized election practices.
Section 2: The standardized election practices must include and adhere to the following:
A. Creating a standardized ballot to be used in all states,
B. Creating a national voter registration database,
C. Creating a national voter identification card
Section 3: States must accept the national voter identification card as a valid form of identification for the purpose of voting.
Section 4: No state may charge a voter more than the actual costs to provide documents needed for the issuance of a national voter identification card.
Section 5: The FEC will reimburse voters for the actual costs of obtaining documents needed for the issuance of a national voter identification card.
Section 6: This law shall be in effect by the state's first congressional or presidential primary election in 2016.
Section 7: All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void.
Section 1: The Federal Elections Commission (FEC) is tasked with creating standardized election practices.
Section 2: The standardized election practices must include and adhere to the following:
A. Creating a standardized ballot to be used in all states,
B. Creating a national voter registration database,
C. Creating a national voter identification card
Section 3: States must accept the national voter identification card as a valid form of identification for the purpose of voting.
Section 4: No state may charge a voter more than the actual costs to provide documents needed for the issuance of a national voter identification card.
Section 5: The FEC will reimburse voters for the actual costs of obtaining documents needed for the issuance of a national voter identification card.
Section 6: This law shall be in effect by the state's first congressional or presidential primary election in 2016.
Section 7: All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void.
Bill #13 Bill to Ban Prescription Drug Advertisements
BE IT ENACTED BY THE SHEPARD ACADEMY CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:
Section 1: All direct to consumer (DTC) advertisements on television and radio for prescription medication in the United States are hereby declared illegal.
Section 2: Each violation of this legislation is subject o a $250,000 fine requiring payment within the fiscal year said violation occurs.
Section 3: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in conjunction with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) shall enforce this legislation.
Section 4: This law will take effect within three months of its passage.
Section 5: All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void.
Section 1: All direct to consumer (DTC) advertisements on television and radio for prescription medication in the United States are hereby declared illegal.
Section 2: Each violation of this legislation is subject o a $250,000 fine requiring payment within the fiscal year said violation occurs.
Section 3: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in conjunction with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) shall enforce this legislation.
Section 4: This law will take effect within three months of its passage.
Section 5: All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void.
SPEAKING
Who Goes First?Debate on each piece of legislation starts with a speech introducing the bill or resolution to the chamber, which is called authorship if it is delivered by the student representative who wrote it. It is called sponsorship if delivered by a student representative who did not write the bill or resolution.
This first speech on each piece of legislation will be followed by a four-minute questiong period. Questions and answers are timed continuously once the first questioner is recognized by the chair. The first negative speech against the bill or resolution will also be subjected to a four-minute questioning period. |
Round #2Once the opening affirmative and the first negative speeches have been given other members will be given the option of taking the floor to speak in favor or against the proposed bill or resolution. After the introductory speech for each piece of legislation, student representatives will deliver alternating affirmative and negative speeches. Each of these speeches will be limited to three minutes, with a one -minute questiong period unless the membership vote to suspend the rules in favor of a longer questioning time.
|
How to Organize your Speech
I. Introduction (15 to 30 seconds)
A. Relate the speech to ideas that are, or might be,
brought to the floor for debate.
1. Use a quotation; and/or
2. Use an analogy; and/or
3. Use statistics to raise awareness of a
problem
4. Use an anecdote (tell a story)
B. State purpose/ thesis (about 10 seconds)
II. Body (Approximately 2 minutes)
Each claim you make (whether constructive or
refuting the opposition) shoud be supported with
analytical reasoning and/ or evidence with a good
combination of quantitative statistics or facts, and
qualitative case studies and quotations from
experts.
Be sure to state the importance, or impact that
claim has for overall topics of debate and why it
supports or opposes those views:
1. CLAIM/ ARGUMENT: issue of debate; point or points that
are in conflict
2. PROOF: evidence and reasoning to support
the argument; explain how the proof
relates to the claim (the link)
3. IMPACT: why the argument is important/
significant, especially to the
particular side debated. Challenge
the opposition to respond to an
issue.
REPEAT X2 (2 more times)
Give two to three meaningful arguments.
III. Conclussion (about 30 seconds)
A. State primary points and issues
B. Summarize key arguments
A. Relate the speech to ideas that are, or might be,
brought to the floor for debate.
1. Use a quotation; and/or
2. Use an analogy; and/or
3. Use statistics to raise awareness of a
problem
4. Use an anecdote (tell a story)
B. State purpose/ thesis (about 10 seconds)
II. Body (Approximately 2 minutes)
Each claim you make (whether constructive or
refuting the opposition) shoud be supported with
analytical reasoning and/ or evidence with a good
combination of quantitative statistics or facts, and
qualitative case studies and quotations from
experts.
Be sure to state the importance, or impact that
claim has for overall topics of debate and why it
supports or opposes those views:
1. CLAIM/ ARGUMENT: issue of debate; point or points that
are in conflict
2. PROOF: evidence and reasoning to support
the argument; explain how the proof
relates to the claim (the link)
3. IMPACT: why the argument is important/
significant, especially to the
particular side debated. Challenge
the opposition to respond to an
issue.
REPEAT X2 (2 more times)
Give two to three meaningful arguments.
III. Conclussion (about 30 seconds)
A. State primary points and issues
B. Summarize key arguments
Do's and Don'ts
Speeches Should* Be delivered extemporaneously, which means based
on an outline of notes. ** The Author/ Sponsor of the bill/ resolution will read the completed form of the bill/ resolution that is being brought before the assembly. * Speeches must be well-researched and prepared ahead of time before arriving in class. * Introduce new information into the debate. * Refute (argue against) points made by other members. * Should address points against your position made by the other side. * Refute any evidence that the opposition makes that you can refute with proof. * When emphasizing your disagreement be courteous (While Sen. Smith's argument to call the military base is well-intentioned..." *Be formulated after having listening to the points made by the opposition in order to perform damage control * Use effective word choice so the audience can follow your speech. |
Speeches Should Not* Be recited word for word from a page. * Attack the individual who have a position against, instead, attack their position. * Don't keep repeating what previous speakers have said. |
Answering Questions:
* When responding to questions to address the question
directly. Once you've addressed the question, simply
stop.
* Don't avoid answering questions.
* If you don't understand the question, paraphase it by
saying something like, "what I think you're asking for
is..." and then answer the best you can.
* If you don't know the answer, redirect your answer to
what you do know about the topic.
Gavel Signals
The Chair will use the gavel to:* Open and close a legislative session. * Keep order in the assembly. * Inform a speaker of the amount of time he or she has remaining on the floor. * End the designated for questions. |
You will hear:* 1 strong tap= this will signal for the session to come to
order. * During a speech you will hear: * 1 Tap= 1 Minute Remaining * 2 Taps= 30 Seconds Remaining * 3 Taps= The speaker's time has expired and should finish their sentence. * Multiple Taps signals that the speaker's time has, the grace period has ended (no more than 10 seconds) and the speaker should immediately cease speaking. * One Strong Tap will signal that the questioning time has expired |
#3 A Bill to Retire the PennyBE IT ENACTED BY THE STUDENT CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT: Section 1: The United States Mint shall cease to manufacture the penny due to the fact that it cost 2.41 cents to make a single 2. penny. Any penny in circulation after the bill goes into affect will be null and void. With the year long period before the bill 3. takes affect, there will be government buildings throughout the nation where citizens can go in and exchange their 4. pennies for nickels or a higher level currency. We lose 1.41 cents with every single penny that we make. Considering 5. that we put 4.9 billion new pennies into circulation in the year 2011 alone. In other words, we lost 69,090,000 dollars. The 6. solution to stop this problem is to eliminate the penny from our currency. Companies can decide how they shall react to 7. the bill, whether they round up or round down on prices. This bill has the power to save America millions of dollars a 8. year. Any laws in conflict with this bill are now null and void. Section 2. Any penny in circulation after the bill goes into affect will be null and void. This means that any penny still in circulation after this bill takes effect will be worthless. There is a simple way for citizens to get cash in return for their pennies. If they go to a local government building, they will be able to exchange their pennies for another coin or bill if they have enough pennies to meet the necessary value. For example, if a citizen brings in five pennies, then they get a nickel in return. Section 3. The US Mint will oversee this law and ensure that this transition goes smoothly. SECTION 4. This bill will go into effect one year after the bill is passed. Section 5. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void. |
#2 A Bill to Increase Age of Obtaining a Driver's License to 181. WHEREAS, the greatest risk of death for individuals under the age of 21 is automobile crashes
2. WHEREAS, AAA estimates the medical bills and property damage for drivers under the age of 17 at 34 billion dollars. 3. WHEREAS, scientific evidence indicates that a teenager's brain is still developing and are too immature do handle the vehicles and 4. driving risks of today's roads. 5. WHEREAS, fewer teenage drivers will result in fewer vehicle crashes and the reduction in insurance premiums for other drivers. 6. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: by the Congress of the Shepard Academy here assembled that the minimum age for obtaining an driver's license in the State of Indiana shall be set at 18 years of age. |
#1 A Resolution to Ban Plastic Bags1. WHEREAS, plastic shopping bags are harmful to the environment, and
2. WHEREAS, the United States is behind many nations when it comes to environmental issues, and 3. WHEREAS, there are practical alternatives to petroleum based plastic shopping bags, and 4. WHEREAS, plastic bags have been known to clog up landfills and require a substantial amount of time to decompose; therefore, 5. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by the Congress of the Shepard Academy here assembled that plastic shopping bags be banned from use by any public store. |
Examples of Past Indiana Mock Congress BillsA Bill to Legalize Torture Interrogations of Terrorists1 BE IT ENACTED BY THE CONGRESS OF THE SHEPARD ACADEMY HERE ASSEMBLED THAT: 2 SECTION 1. The United States government shall sanction the use of torture in the interrogations 3 of terrorists. 4 SECTION 2. Torture is any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is 5 intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him, or a third person, 6 information or a confession, or intimidating or coercing him or a third person, or for any 7 reason based on discrimination of any kind, when such pain or suffering is inflicted by or 8 at the instigation of or with the consent or acquiescence of a public official or other person 9 acting in an official capacity. A terrorist is any person who is shown to pose a clear and 10 present danger to the national security of the United States. 11 SECTION 3. The United States Department of State shall oversee the enforcement of this law, shall have 12 the power to prosecute all those in violation of this law, and shall have the power to define 13 whom is a terrorist. 14 SECTION 4. This law shall be implemented within six months of passage. 15 SECTION 5. All laws and policies in conflict with the new law are hereby deemed null and void. |
A Resolution to Adjust the Scope of Presidential Candidates1. WHEREAS, all citizens of the United States, regardless of birth withing the United States, should be eligible to run as a candidate for the United States Presidency, and
2. WHEREAS, 32.5 million, more than 11.5 percent of people who comprise the U.S. population, are foreign born, and 3. WHEREAS, more than one third of these people are naturalized citizens, and 4. WHEREAS, this resolution is in compliance with the Declaration of Independence and the statement that all men are created equal; therefore, 5. BE IT RESOLVED by the Congress of the Shepard Academy here assembled that Article 2 section 1 of the Constitution of the United States of America be amended to 6. allow any natural born or naturalized citizens of the United States of America who is at least thirty-five years of age and has lived in the United States for fourteen 7. years to run for the Presidency of the United States. 8. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the only exception to this amendment be if the citizen is not eligible under the twenty-second amendment to the Constitution or if the 9. said citizen has been previously prosecuted in a criminal trial and found guilty. |
A Resolution Concerning the Electoral College
|
Mock Congress Speech Practice Template | |
File Size: | 24 kb |
File Type: | doc |