Congressional Debate Packet:

Congressional Debate Packet: Part One:

Topic: PUBLIC COLLEGE SHOULD BE TUITION FREE.

Bill: For this part of your congressional debate assignment, you will choose a topic that you are passionate about and write a bill to change/modify current U.S. laws or policies concerning your topic. Use the template and example below to write your bill.

-Your Section 1 should be at least one complete sentence.

-Your Section 2 should include at least three definitions.

-Your Section 3 should reference a legitimate government agency and SPECIFY the ways they will enforce your bill.

-Your Section 4 should include a specific date and time frame.

-Your Section 5 should be exactly phrased: “All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void.”

 

0. Author’s Speech: Write an author’s speech defending your bill using specific research that lasts 3 minutes when spoken aloud.

FURTHER DIRECTIONS, TEMPLATES, AND EXAMPLES ON NEXT PAGE

 

Bill Template:

A Bill to [Action Word] [Object] [Preposition] [Summarize the Solution Specifically]

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:

SECTION 1. State the new policy in a brief declarative sentence, or in as few sentences as possible.

SECTION 2. Define any ambiguous terms inherent in the first section.

SECTION 3. Name the government agency that will oversee the enforcement of the bill along with the specific enforcement mechanism.

SECTION 4. Indicate the implementation date/timeframe.

SECTION 5. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void.

Bill Example:

A Bill to Promote Green Energy by Providing Federal Tax Credits to Small Businesses Using Green Energy Sources

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:

SECTION 1. This bill shall grant Federal tax credits to small businesses that use alternative, green sources of

energy.

SECTION 2. Small Business: a “small business” is defined by the United States Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy as an independent business having fewer than 500 employees.

Green Energy: “green energy” is defied by the United States Environmental Protection agency as electricity supplied from the following renewable sources of power: solar, geothermal, biomass, landfill gas, hydro, and wind.

Tax Credits: A tax credit is a type of tax incentive that can reduce the amount of money a taxpayer owes the government. Unlike a tax deduction, which reduces taxable income, a taxpayer can subtract a tax credit from the amount of taxes they owe, lowering their tax liability dollar-for-dollar.

SECTION 3. The Department of Energy will oversee this measure by assessing whether the small businesses’ energy practices are “Green Energy”, then by referring the business to the Internal Revenue Service for a federal tax credit.

SECTION 4. This bill shall go into effect by the new fiscal year of 2020 (October 1, 2020).

SECTION 5. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void.

Author’s Speech Outline: 

 

I. Introduction (15 to 30 seconds)

A. Relate the speech to ideas that are, or might be, brought to the floor for debate.

A. Use a quotation; and/or

A. Use an analogy; and/or

A. Use statistics to raise awareness of a problem

B. B. State purpose/thesis (about 10 seconds)

 

II. Body (approximately 2 minutes)

Each claim you make (whether constructive or refuting the opposition) should 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 the overall topic of debate and why it supports or opposes those views. Example structure:

A. Claim: issue of debate; point or points that are in conflict.

A. Proof: evidence and reasoning to support the argument; explain how the proof relates to the claim (link).

A. Impact: why the argument is important/significant, especially to the particular side debated. Challenge the opposition to respond to an issue. Give two to three meaningful arguments.

 

III. Conclusion (about 30 seconds)

C. State primary points and issues

C. Summarize key arguments