GMU Congressional Debate Packet 2014

George Mason University
Patriot Games Classic
th
11 Edition
December 6-7, 2014
Congressional Debate
Information Packet
For Contestants, Judges, and Coaches
Congressional Debate Tentative Schedule
Friday, December 5th
7:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Registration at the Marriott (All Schools Must Register During this Time Block)
Saturday, December 6th
7:45 am
Judge and Competitor Meeting
8:00 am - 11:00 am
Session One
1:30 pm – 4:30 pm
Session Two
7:00 pm
Congress Semis
11:00 pm
Finalists Announced
Sunday, December 7th
9:00 am
Judge and Competitor Meeting
9:30 am- 11:30 am
Congress Final 1
1:15 pm – 2:45 pm
Congress Final 2
8:30 pm
Awards
Important Note:
The information in this packet is tentative with regard to preliminary and elimination round format.
If numbers drop significantly between the release of this packet and the beginning of competition, the
tournament reserves the right to adjust the numbers and procedures for semifinals, etc., accordingly.
Official Procedural Rules
The rules contained herein are designed to promote procedural unity among the chambers.
They are subject to change by the staff at any time, but they may NOT be altered or ignored through
a suspension of the rules by the chamber.
--DECORUM: Each preliminary chamber is designated as a HOUSE. A member of the House of
Representatives is always referred to as “Representative.” The Presiding Officer of a House of
Representatives is addressed as “Mister/Madame Speaker.” The Presiding Officer is responsible for
enforcing proper decorum in the chambers. Each break round camber is designated as a SENATE. A
member of the Senate is always referred to as “Senator.” The Presiding Officer of the Senate is addressed
as “Mister/Madame President.”
--LEGISLATIVE DAY: A legislative day is one session; speaker order (recency) resets after each session.
--RECOGNITION OF SPEAKERS: The RECENCY system, as explained by the National Speech and
Debate Association, is the required method for recognizing speakers at this tournament. Presiding Officers
are required to use this form of recognition. Individual recency is to be used at all times; other systems are
prohibited!
--QUESTIONING: A MANDATORY two minute questioning period follows all AUTHORSHIP,
SPONSORSHIP, and SPONSORSHIP ON AMENDMENT speeches; a two-minute questioning period also
follows the FIRST NEGATIVE speech on any item of legislation. The Presiding Officer recognizes
legislators who wish to ask a question of a speaker; the speaker MAY NOT perform this function
him/herself. All other speeches will have a mandatory one-minute questioning period that MAY NOT be
suspended. The PO has an obligation to rule “two-part,” misleading, or irrelevant questions OUTOF-ORDER during preliminary and semifinal debate.
--AGENDA ORDER: Each chamber determines its own agenda order based on the legislation assigned to
it by this packet. All legislation assigned to a chamber must be debated before the chamber may proceed
to legislation assigned to another chamber.
--LEGISLATION WITHOUT AN AUTHOR: If the author of a bill or resolution is not present in the
chamber, withdraws from the tournament, or waives service as the author, a SPONSORSHIP speech is in
order. Sponsorship is determined by recency. The sponsor becomes accountable for the mechanics of the
bill and must yield to two minutes of questioning from the chamber.
--VOTING: The PO determines the method of voting on each question that comes before the chamber,
EXCEPT:
1. For final votes on legislation, amendments, and motions to appeal the chair, a recorded vote
must be taken.
2. On all other votes, “voice voting” is acceptable. A recorded vote must follow if any member
asks for a division.
3. When a member of the chamber moves for a roll call vote and the motion is agreed to by 1/5 of
the chamber.
ALL simple majority votes are based upon the number of legislators PRESENT and VOTING in the
chamber; therefore, the PO may not call for or count abstentions. For all votes requiring a fraction of the
chamber to agree to a motion or question (2/3, 1/3, 1/5, etc.), the chair determines whether the chamber
agrees with the motion/question using the number of legislators PRESENT in the chamber. Because of this
system, the PO must track the number of legislators in the chamber at all times.
--AMENDMENTS: Legislators submit amendments to the PO in writing. A motion to amend is necessary
to consider the written amendment. Once the motion is made, the PO decides if the amendment is
germane. The PO may consult with the Parliamentarian to make this decision. If the amendment is found
NOT germane, the chair rules it OUT OF ORDER and the amendment process stops. If the chair rules the
amendment germane, the chamber considers the amendment. In this case, the PO reads the amendment to
the chamber. A 1/3 second of the members PRESENT in the chamber is required to debate the
amendment. If the chamber votes a second, debate on the amendment commences immediately. There is
no minimum cycle requirement for amendments, so legislators may make a motion to table or call the
previous question on the amendment at any time. The first speech on the amendment is a SPONSORSHIP
speech. The chair determines speaker recognition for the SPONSORSHIP speech on the basis of recency;
the author of the amendment is NOT guaranteed the sponsorship speech. The sponsor accepts
responsibility for the mechanics of the amendment and yields to two minutes of questioning. All
amendment speeches receive a score and count towards recency. A majority vote is necessary for the
chamber to adopt the amendment.
Preliminary Competition Format
This year’s Congressional Debate division features five (5) chambers. Chambers are designated
as either a Senate or a House of Representatives. Please see the Procedural Rules above for
decorum rules related to this designation.
There are two (2) sessions of debate in the Preliminary Competition. Each session consists of
three (3) hours of floor debate. There is one (1) elected Presiding Officer in each session. For
purposes of this competition, one complete session is a legislative day. Priority for speaking
resets at the end of each legislative day. Thus, all legislators will have zero speeches at the start
of each session.
Any member of the chamber may run for Presiding Officer but no legislator may serve in that
office for more than one session. Elections are conducted by secret ballot, with a majority vote
required to elect a candidate. Service as Presiding Officer counts as the first two speeches of the
session for purposes of speaking priority.
Each chamber is evaluated by a Parliamentarian and a Scorer. The Parliamentarian remains
in the chamber throughout the preliminary competition, while the Scorers rotate to different
chambers throughout the tournament. The Scorers evaluate every speech that is given in a
session, rating them on a scale of 1 to 6 (1 is low; 6 is high). The points awarded by a Scorer for
a given speech can thus be used to determine NFL points for that speech. The Parliamentarian
keeps notes on the overall performance of each legislator and will write formal ballots, including
an evaluation for each Presiding Officer, awarding him/her up to 18 NFL points on the basis of
his/her performance during a given session.
At the end of each session, the Scorer and the Parliamentarian will each independently nominate
eight students for Best Legislator during the session. Each Scorer and Parliamentarian’s
nomination form is converted into credits by the Tabulation Staff with the 1st place legislator
receiving 8 credits, the 2nd place legislator receiving 7, and so on. Those students who were not
ranked by the Scorer will receive zero (0) credits from that Scorer. The three students from each
chamber who have earned the highest number of judge credits during the Preliminary Sessions
will advance to the Semifinal Round. At the conclusion of the third session, the students who
ranked fourth through eighth on the basis of judge credits will be placed into nomination for a
preferential ballot election. Each student ballot will be worth one vote in this election, with the
ballot of the Parliamentarian breaking any ties. If there is a tie in determining nominees for the
election, the tie will be broken using inverse reciprocal ranks, followed by head-to-head
competition, followed by Parliamentarian’s preference. If a tie remains, additional nominees may
be added. Finally, each Parliamentarian ranks the top 10 students in the chamber at the end of the
third session on the basis of their overall legislative performance during the course of preliminary
competition. The highest-ranking student on this record (Parliamentarian’s Preferential Rating)
who has not advanced from preferential balloting or judge credits will then advance to the
Semifinal Round. Thus, seven legislators qualify for the Semifinal Round from each chamber as
follows
1. 3 students on the basis of total judge credits
2. 3 students on the basis of preferential balloting
3. 1 student on the basis of Parliamentarian’s Preference
Elimination Round Format and Rules
Thirty-five (35) contestants will advance to a Semifinal Round, which will feature three chambers
of competition. Each of these chambers will be adjudicated by a panel of two Scorers and a
Parliamentarian.
At the conclusion of the Semifinal Round, each of the two Scorers and the Parliamentarian in
each chamber will independently rank the top six students in the session on the basis of Best
Legislator. The rankings by the Scorers and the Parliamentarian will be converted by the
Tabulation Staff using a credit system as in the Preliminary Competition, with 1st place earning 6
credits, 2nd place earning 5 credits, and so on through the 6th place legislator who will receive 1
credit. The legislators whose names do not appear on a given rank form receive zero (0) credits
from that Scorer. Three students will be selected for the Super Session from each Semifinal
chamber on the basis of these judge credits.
Independent of the above process, a preferential ballot election will be held from a slate of four
candidates as determined by the rankings of the Scorers. Each legislator will cast one vote in this
election, as will the Parliamentarian (whose ballot will be weighted at 2 student votes and will
also serve as a tie-breaker). The top two students in the preferential balloting will advance to the
Super Session.
Thus, five students will advance to the Super Session from each Semifinal Chamber as follows:
1. 3 students on the basis of total judge credits
2. 2 students on the basis of preferential balloting
Fifteen (15) students will advance to the Patriot Games Invitational Super Congress.
A panel of five Scorers and one Parliamentarian will evaluate the Super Congress. At the
conclusion of the Super Congress, each will independently complete a ranking form for Best
Legislator listing a maximum of ten competitors. The ranking forms of the Scorers will be
converted by the Tabulation Staff into a credit system as outlined in the section on the Semifinal
Round above. Those ten legislators who receive the highest number of credits will comprise the
top ten contestants at the Patriot Games Invitational. Each legislator as well as the
Parliamentarian will complete a blind preferential ballot at the conclusion of the Super Congress
that includes the names of each competitor in the Super Congress. The Tabulation Staff will also
convert each Scorer’s ranking form into a preferential ballot; along with the Parliamentarian’s
ballot, each of these will carry a weight of 3 student votes. These preferential ballots will then be
used to determine the Champion of the Patriot Games Invitational, with the Parliamentarian’s
ballot being a tiebreaker.
Patriot Games University
Invitational
Congressional Debate
Chamber Assignments
General Information for Contestants
v Find your name on the next page.
v Remember to NOT panic if you do not have your code. Simply use only your last name when
speaking from the floor during Preliminary and Elimination sessions of Congress.
v Do not use your school name to identify yourself during the course of any session of the Congress.
Legislative Calendar
v Legislation has been assigned to the same chamber as its author.
v All legislation assigned to a chamber must be debated before the chamber may debate legislation
assigned to a different chamber. Legislation assigned to a chamber may not be tabled for the
purposes of moving forward to another chamber’s legislation.
v In the event that a chamber completes its entire agenda:
o Chamber 1 will debate items from the agenda of Chamber 2
o Chamber 2 will debate items from the agenda of Chamber 3
o Chamber 3 will debate items from the agenda of Chamber 4
o Chamber 4 will debate items from the agenda of Chamber 5
o Chamber 5 will debate items from the agenda of Chamber 1
CHAMBER ASSIGNMENTS
House 1
Levy
Wang
Steiner
Whyman
Barrs
Pickering
Sanchez
Forte
Munoz
Khawaja
Lamphier
Vellanki
Glaser
Sheth
Michael M
Ricci
Scott
Pekcan
Noble
Bolton
Sarkhel
Pisarski
Sola-Sole
Williams
House 2
House 3
House 4
Jones
Casten
Hess
Clapacs
Bevard
Fuchs
Porter
Grey
Tutt
Karia
Ragan
Sevim
Shiver
Drane
Hedayatnia
Strayer
Ullah
Chaluvadi
Lemus
Bousquet
Barrosso
Chrisman
Ulloa
Stafford
Lipson
Radhakrishnan
Rich
LeeOesterreich Rosenbaum
Rorigues
Miller
Sachdeva
Melnick
Zitzmann
Verderame
Hasson
Siva
Lou
Ravigopal
Marone
Bakken
Bollinger
Shim
Vempati
Thormann
Payton
Loscocco
Halsey
Lewis
Torani
Roy
Jayant
Kirkwood
Belk
Trapp
Chan
Sun
Kaperst
Haftel
Epelman
Tong
Forde
Wheelen
Kaperst
Sargent
Mathivannan
Crist
Zeidenberg
Zhou
House 5
Mitton
Wetzel
Delinois
Balaji
Rooke
Sutton
Derosa
Braswell
Thompson
Curry
Fedorov
Schargel
Galligher
Aronson
Steiner
Kleinle
Wan
Solomon
Hemrajani
Zhang
Buarque de
Macedo
Papaiaoannou
Bernard
B/R #101
A BILL TO ELIMINATE POLICE OPERATION DISCRIMINATION SCHOOLS
1
BE IT ENACTED BY THE STUDENT CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:
2
SECTION 1. This congress will outlaw all undercover police operations in all primary
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4
5
and secondary educational institutions.
SECTION 2. Under police operations those conducted without public awareness of the
very operation.
6
SECTION 3. The Department of Justice will enforce this legislation.
7
SECTION 4. This legislation shall be implemented upon passage. Current undercover
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9
operations terminated immediately.
SECTION 5. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void.
Respectfully submitted,
Rep. Ben Levy
Ridge High School
B/2 #102
A BILL TO REINSTATE FAST TRACK AUTHORITY
1
BE IT ENACTED BY THE STUDENT CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:
2
SECTION 1. The Bipartisan Trade Promotion Authority Act (BTPAA) of 2002 shall
3
hereby be renewed for a period of five years.
4
SECTION 2. The BTPAA of 2002 refers to Title XXI of the Trade Act of 2002.
5
SECTION 3. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative shall oversee implementation
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of this legislation.
SECTION 4. This legislation shall go into effect immediately and shall expire five years
after the date of passage.
SECTION 5. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void.
Respectfully submitted,
Rep. Alissa Wang
Broad Run High School
B/R #103
A BILL TO AUTHORIZE THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE
1
BE IT ENACTED BY THE STUDENT CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:
2
SECTION 1. The TransCanada Corporation is authorized to construct, operate and
3
4
maintain the Keystone XL Pipeline.
SECTION 2. This bill deems the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement
5
regarding the pipeline issued by the Secretary of State fully satisfies any
6
and all laws requiring federal consultation or review.
7
SECTION 3. The State Department in conjunction with the Department of
8
Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration
9
will oversee enforcement of this legislation.
10
SECTION 4. This legislation will take effect on the 1st of January 2015.
11
SECTION 5. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void.
Respectfully submitted,
Rep. Ben Steiner
Phoenix Country Day School
B/R #104
A RESOLUTION TO SEVER ECONOMIC TIES WITH CHINA IN PROTEST OF
HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES
1
WHEREAS, China has committed egregious human rights abuses; and
2
WHEREAS, China has oppressed ethnic minorities and denied its people basic civil liberties;
3
4
5
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7
and
WHEREAS, American trade and economic relations legitimatize and strengthen the oppressive
communist Chinese regime; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Student Congress here assembled terminate all economic relations with
China.
Respectfully submitted,
Rep. David Whyman
Walt Whitman High School
B/R #105
A RESOLUTION TO SEND AID TO THE LEBANESE GOVERNMENT IN ORDER TO
PROMOTE COUNTERTERRORISM EFFORTS
WHEREAS, Lebanon has been beset upon by a number of radical threats from various
terrorist factions and
WHEREAS, the nation of Lebanon is facing tremendous difficulties in remotely
holding onto some of its northern cities, and
WHEREAS, these threats will cause a massive degree of instability for the nation’s
government and may result in even further diffusion of humanitarian
crises in the Middle East and
WHEREAS, the United States can further support, via lethal and non-lethal aid, to
enable a greater ability for the Lebanese military to respond to these
threats; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Student Congress here assembled make the following
recommendation for solution in order to better global stability, via the
sending of non-lethal and lethal aid to the Lebanese government.
Respectfully submitted,
Rep. David Barrs
Lake Mary Preparatory School
B/R 106
A BILL TO LEGALIZE MARIJUANA
1
BE IT ENACTED BY THE STUDENT CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:
2
SECTION 1. The consumption and sale of marijuana shall be decriminalized.
3
SECTION 2.
provisions below.
4
5
The consumption and sale of marijuana will become legal as defined by the
SECTION 3.
A. The Interstate Commerce Commission will oversee the sale of marijuana.
6
1) To lawfully sell marijuana, the entity must have a state issued license.
7
2) The sale of marijuana shall be subject to taxation per the right of the
state’s discretion.
8
3) More than one ounce cannot be sold per transaction.
9
10
B. The enforcement of this bill will be under the jurisdiction of the Drug
11
Enforcement Agency (DEA).
1) Those under the age of 21 using or purchasing marijuana shall pay a fine
12
of $250 per offense.
13
2) Those selling to persons under the age of 21 shall have their license
14
revoked and will be subject to one month in state prison.
15
3) All those currently incarcerated for marijuana possession or distribution
16
will be released upon passage of this bill.
17
4) Mandatory minimums in relation to drug crimes shall be abolished.
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SECTION 4.
The bill will be enacted with and by its passage.
20
SECTION 5.
All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void.
Respectfully submitted,
Rep. Robert Pickering
Laurel Christian School
B/R #107
A RESOLUTION TO CREATE THE 51ST STATE OF THE UNION
1
2
3
4
5
WHEREAS, political leaders in south Florida have been clamoring for years to separate from
the rest of the state; and
WHEREAS, the reasons for this call to separate have included financial, environmental, and
representation disputes; and
WHEREAS, presently, the state of Florida collects approximately 22 billion dollars in sales
6
taxes from all of Florida, of which 69 percent (15.25 billion dollars) is collected in
7
south Florida; and
8
WHEREAS, oftentimes south Florida issues – such as rising sea levels due to climate change –
9
are ignored by politicians in Tallahassee, despite the fact south Florida generates
10
more than 69% of the state's revenue and contains 67% of the state's population;
11
and
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16
WHEREAS, the creation of the 51st state, South Florida, is a necessity for the very survival of
the entire southern region of the current state of Florida; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, by this Student Congress, that Florida be legally separated into two states,
creating the 51st state in the Union and naming it “South Florida;”; and, be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, that it is understood this is only the first step in a very complicated
17
process, which would ultimately require the approval of the electorate of the
18
entire state of Florida, as well as Congressional approval.
Respectfully submitted,
Rep. Victor Sanchez
Wellington High School
B/R #201
BILL TO TREAT HOMELESSNESS AS PROTECTED STATUS UNDER HATE CRIME LAW
1
BE IT ENACTED BY THE STUDENT CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:
2
SECTION 1. Crimes against the homeless shall be prosecuted as hate crimes.
3
SECTION 2. A. “Crimes” shall be defined as any willful attempt to cause bodily injury
4
to a person, motivated by real or perceived homelessness status.
5
B. “Homelessness” shall be defined as any individual who lacks a fixed,
6
regular, or adequate nighttime shelter.
7
C. “Hate Crime” shall be defined as a crime eligible for enhanced
8
penalties because it was motivated by bias against specific groups.
9
SECTION 3. A. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) will be responsible for
10
maintaining statistics on hate crimes against the homeless.
11
B. The FBI and the Department of Justice (DOJ) will create a joint task
12
force to target areas with high rates of the aforementioned criminal
13
activity in order to ensure evidence is gathered for the proper
14
prosecution of suspected criminals.
15
C. The DOJ will be responsible for prosecuting these crimes.
16
SECTION 4. This law will take effect within six months of passage.
17
SECTION 5. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void.
Respectfully submitted,
Rep. Nate Jones
Cary Academy
B/R #202
A BILL TO REGULATE CONSUMER FUEL PRICES
1
BE IT ENACTED BY THE STUDENT CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:
2
SECTION 1. A $4.00 dollar minimum shall be established as the lowest per gallon price
3
4
5
6
retailers are permitted to charge for fuel.
SECTION 2. Fuel shall be defined as any diesel or conventional fuel used privately or
sold for private usage.
SECTION 3. The Federal Trade Commission will oversee the implementation and
7
enforcement of this legislation.
8
A. The FTC shall have the authority to enforce this legislation through
9
10
appropriate legal action.
B. The penalty levied against any retailer found to be in violation of this
11
legislation shall include a cease and desist order to change their prices
12
to comply with this legislation, as well as a fine not to exceed
13
$100,000.
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15
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SECTION 4. The enforcement of this legislation shall go into effect at the beginning of
the next fiscal year.
SECTION 5. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void.
Respectfully submitted,
Rep. Zain Clapacs
Durham Academy
B/R 203
A BILL TO AUTHORIZE THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE
1
BE IT ENACTED BY THE STUDENT CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:
2
SECTION 1. The TransCanada Corporation is authorized to construct, operate and
3
4
maintain the Keystone XL Pipeline.
SECTION 2. This bill deems the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement
5
regarding the pipeline issued by the Secretary of State fully satisfies any
6
and all laws requiring federal consultation or review.
7
SECTION 3. The State Department in conjunction with the Department of
8
Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration
9
will oversee enforcement of this legislation.
10
SECTION 4. This legislation will take effect on the 1st of January 2015.
11
SECTION 5. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void.
Respectfully submitted,
Rep. William Porter
Phoenix Country Day School
B/R #204
A RESOLUTION TO UPGRADE THE UNITED STATES PASSENGER RAILROAD
SYSTEM
1
2
3
WHEREAS, The United States passenger railroad system does not meet substantial and
adequate transportation.
WHEREAS, The speed of current passenger trains are slower compared to passenger trains of
4
other developed nations and the average price for riding a train is more than the
5
average price for an airplane ticket within the continental United States; and
6
WHEREAS, In inefficient trains system mitigates the choices consumers have for
7
transportation as well as putting the salaries of employees in jeopardy where the
8
United States government can stabilizes it; and
9
WHEREAS, The National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak), is a publicly funded
10
company, the United States legislature can act as a force of good, and whereas,
11
some states have taken it upon themselves to invest in their own public railroad
12
systems and improve passenger trains; therefore, be it
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14
15
RESOLVED, That the Student Congress here assembled should invest up to $151 billion dollars
over 40 years to improve train speeds, construct new railroads, and train quality.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That Amtrak should be decentralized to give states the ability to hire
16
private contractors and outside fund to fund railroad service and quality within
17
their states.
Respectfully submitted,
Rep. Jela Shiver
Thomas A. Edison High School
#B/R 205
A BILL TO IMPLEMENT SUFFICIENT SAFETY MEASURES IN THE CASE OF AN OUTBREAK
OF A SEVERE DISEASE IN THE US
1
BE IT ENACTED BY THE STUDENT CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:
2
SECTION 1. If a severe disease breaks out in the US, sufficient safety measures will
3
4
5
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7
and must be put into place.
SECTION 2. A severe disease is defined as any disease that is highly contagious and
leads to death.
SECTION 3. The CDC and the DHS will oversee the necessary measures to implement
this bill successfully.
8
SECTION 4. This bill will be implemented in 2016.
9
SECTION 5. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void.
Respectfully submitted,
Rep. Brett Strayer
Legacy High school
B/R #206
A BILL TO SANCTION ETHIOPIA TO
ENSURE FAIR LAND AND WATER DISTRIBUTION
1
BE IT ENACTED BY THE STUDENT CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:
2
SECTION 1. The United States shall cease sending all economic aid to Ethiopia.
3
SECTION 2. Economic aid shall be defined as any monetary assistance for the purpose
4
5
of national development, social welfare, and/or governmental support.
SECTION 3. The United States Agency for International Development shall oversee the
6
implementation of this legislation. Ethiopia shall continue to receive
7
economic aid on the following conditions:
8
A. In any given year Ethiopia shall sell no more than 25% of available
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land to foreign investors.
B. The amount of fresh water diverted from any water source by the
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Ethiopian government or by foreign investors shall be small enough to
12
allow for the long-term sustainability of the water source.
13
SECTION 4. This legislation will take effect on January 1st, 2015.
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SECTION 5. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void.
Respectfully submitted,
Rep. Raina Karia
Ridge High School
B/R #301
BILL TO REQUIRE 24-HOUR SURVEILLANCE OF WITNESSES FOR THE GOVERNMENT BEFORE,
DURING AND AFTER FEDERAL TRIALS
1
BE IT ENACTED BY THE CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:
2
SECTION 1. All persons not accepting offers for witness protection under the
3
Organized Crime and Control Act of 1970 shall be under 24-hour domicile
4
surveillance before, during and after federal trials.
5
SECTION 2. Surveillance shall be defined as any exterior examination of personal
6
living spaces. The length of the witness surveillance shall be for the
7
duration of time in which said witness’s life or person remains in jeopardy
8
as determined by the Attorney General.
9
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SECTION 3. This legislation will be enforced by the Department of Justice and
executed by the Marshals Service.
11
SECTION 4. This legislation shall go into effect on the 1st of January 2016.
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SECTION 5. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void.
Respectfully submitted,
Rep. Sophia Casten
Phoenix Country Day School
B/R #302
A BILL TO RECOGNIZE BITCOINS AS A LEGITIMATE FORM
OF CURRENCY SUBJECT TO TAXATION
1
BE IT ENACTED BY THE STUDENT CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:
2
SECTION 1. Bitcoins will be formally recognized by the U.S. government as a
3
legitimate form of currency that will not be subject to undue restrictions,
4
but will be subjected to taxes.
5
SECTION 2. Bitcoins are defines as the well known decentralized cryptocurrency used
6
worldwide. Formally recognized is defined as to acknowledge the
7
legitimacy and acceptability of a notion or thing. Undue restrictions are
8
defined as restrictions that would not normally be applied to other
9
currencies.
10
SECTION 3. The U.S. Treasury and IRS will be responsible for the implementation of
11
this bill. Any limited funds needed to implement this bill will come from
12
those departments’ respective budgets.
13
A. The U.S. Treasury will also be responsible to raise greater public
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awareness of Bitcoins.
B. No business or cooperation will be forced to accept Bitcoins as
payment but may choose to do so.
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SECTION 4. This bill shall take effect one year after it is passed.
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SECTION 5. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void.
Respectfully submitted,
Rep. Victoria Bevard
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology
B/R #303
A RESOLUTION TO ACTIVATE THE AFRICAN UNION TO ENSURE STABILITY IN
BURKINA FASO
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
WHEREAS, The recent military coup in Burkina Faso has unfettered the political system in the
country; and
WHEREAS, Burkina Faso is a quintessential partner to the United States in northwestern
Africa; and
WHEREAS, Military personnel continue to endanger the social and political balance in the
country; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Student Congress here assembled make the following recommendation
8
that the United States extend military and economic resources to the African
9
Union; and, be it
10
FURTHER RESOLVED, That the United States not impose any sanctions on Burkina Faso.
Respectfully submitted,
Rep. Marcus Grey
Lake Mary Preparatory School
B/R #304
A BILL TO ENCOURAGE NATURAL GAS TRADE WITH THE EUROPEAN UNION
1
BE IT ENACTED BY THE STUDENT CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:
2
SECTION 1. The Department of Energy shall encourage natural gas exportation to the
3
European Union by reimbursing private companies up to $50 million dollars each,
4
depending on the amount of natural gas exported specifically to the European Union.
5
SECTION 2. Private Companies will be defined as companies that are not owned by the
6
US government or any other governmental body that are based in the United States.
7
SECTION 3. . U.S. Department of Energy will oversee the allocation and use of the
8
funds for the reimbursed companies.
9
A. Private Companies must apply to the Department of Energy to gain approval to
10
export natural gas, based upon the current qualifications for exporting natural gas
11
to foreign countries, and to receive a potential reimbursement. After 2 years from
12
the enactment of this legislation, no new private companies will be approved for
13
this reimbursement.
14
B. The $50 million dollars reimbursement will be given to companies specifically
15
to aid them with research and development in natural gas and/or renewable energy
16
resources or for transportation and development costs needed to export natural
17
gas.
18
C. This money needed for this legislation will be reallocated from the Department
19
of Energy's current budget.
20
SECTION 4. This legislation shall go into effect 1 month after passage.
21
SECTION 5. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void.
Respectfully submitted,
Rep. Ben Ragan
Southside High School
B/R #305
A BILL TO BOLSTER THE HHS’ CAPACITIES TO FIGHT MEDICARE AND
MEDICAID FRAUD
1
BE IT ENACTED BY THE STUDENT CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:
2
SECTION 1. $2 billion shall be allocated yearly to the Center for Medicare and
3
Medicaid Services to boost capacities that identify, recover, and prevent
4
improper Medicare and Medicaid billings, shipments, and medical
5
practices.
6
SECTION 2. “Boosting capacities that identify, recover, and prevent improper billings
7
and shipments” in this sense includes, but is not limited to, boosting
8
funding in order to train and revamp related task forces to more efficiently
9
audit medical claims, handle appeals systems, review facilities, assess
10
contractor performance, and track equipment shipments.
11
SECTION 3. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will be responsible for
12
the enforcement of this legislation.
13
A. The Department of Health and Human Services will be required to
14
annually compile and release data on the efficacy of these programs to
15
recommend changes in funding, training, etc. in order to ensure
16
transparency.
17
SECTION 4. This bill will go into effect at the start of the 2016 Fiscal Year.
18
SECTION 5. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void.
Respectfully submitted,
Rep. Daniel Drane
Des Moines Roosevelt High School
B/R #306
A BILL TO PROMOTE THE PRIVATIZATION OF U.S. SPACE EXPLORATION
1
BE IT ENACTED BY THE STUDENT CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:
2
SECTION 1. In the 2013–2014 fiscal year, Congress allocated over $17 billion towards
3
NASA funding from the federal budget. The United States will stop
4
funding space exploration through public expenditure and now entirely
5
handled upon through privatization.
6
SECTION 2. Privatization will hereby be defined as the change from using
7
government's tax dollars and now completely through private companies
8
and ownership.
9
10
SECTION 3. This legislation will be handled through NASA along with joint assistance
from the FAA.
11
SECTION 4. This legislation will go into effect January 1, 2015.
12
SECTION 5. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void.
Respectfully submitted,
Rep. Sami Ullah
Midlothian High School
B/R #401
A BILL TO CONSOLIDATE THE STORAGE AND ANALYSIS OF INTELLIGENCE
1
BE IT ENACTED BY THE STUDENT CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:
2
SECTION 1. Any and all intelligence collected by any department, agency, or service
3
within the Intelligence Community shall be integrated into, stored and
4
analyzed in, and dispersed from a single centralized location controlled by
5
the CIA.
6
SECTION 2. The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) referenced in this bill is the one
7
created by Title 50 §3035 U.S.C. and the Intelligence Community shall be
8
the one created by section 3.5(h) of executive order 12333.
9
SECTION 3. The CIA shall construct and service an electronic database for intelligence
10
storage. The CIA shall also oversee collection, analysis, and dissemination
11
of all intelligence mentioned in Section 1.
12
SECTION 4. Intelligence collection from other departments by the CIA shall begin
13
within 3 years, or 180 days from the beginning of construction of such
14
centralized location.
15
SECTION 5. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void.
Respectfully submitted,
Rep. Tyler Hess
Broad Run High School
B/R 402
A BILL TO DECLARE ALL CORAL REEFS FEDERALLY PROTECTED LANDS
1
BE IT ENACTED BY THE STUDENT CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:
2
SECTION 1. All United States coral reefs will be declared federally protected lands.
3
SECTION 2. A. Tourism and commercial fishing vessels will be able to obtain a license
4
to bring large groups on to the reefs through the National Park Service.
5
B. Private groups will be allowed on the reefs with the National Park
6
Service officers patrolling to guarantee visitor compliance with mandates.
7
8
9
10
SECTION 3. The National Park Service will be responsible for the enforcement of this
bill by levying fines for non-compliance.
SECTION 4. The provisions of this bill will go into effect on September 1, 2015.
SECTION 5. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void.
Respectfully submitted,
Rep. Evan Fuchs
Jupiter High School
B/R #403
A RESOLUTION TO PROVIDE MILITARY SUPPORT TO
NIGERIA IN ITS DEFENSE AGAINST BOKO HARAM
1
2
3
WHEREAS, Nigeria has been crippled due to constant attacks and subversive actions by Boko
Haram and
WHEREAS, Nigeria is not getting enough support from the African Union to successfully
4
combat Boko Haram’s presence in the northern part of Nigeria and
5
WHEREAS, Thousands of citizens have perished at the hands of Boko Haram and hundreds of
6
7
8
9
10
thousands have been displaced and
WHEREAS, the only way to successfully curb Boko Haram in its conquest for the
establishment of an Islamic Caliphate; not, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Student Congress here assembled make the decision to fund the Nigerian
military in order to aid their fight against Boko Haram
Respectfully submitted,
Rep. Alfie Tutt
Lake Mary Preparatory School
B/R #404
A BILL TO SUPPORT THE IRANIAN NUCLEAR PROGRAM
1
BE IT ENACTED BY THE STUDENT CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:
2
SECTION 1. The US is to be totally in support of the Iranian Nuclear Program and all
3
4
of its developments, be it Nuclear Energy or Atomic-Grade Weaponry.
SECTION 2. A. Iran is formally named the Islamic Republic of Iran.
5
B. “Nuclear program” entails the Iranian program to develop nuclear
6
technology for use in weaponry or energy systems.
7
SECTION 3. Enforcement of this bill will fall upon the US Department of State
8
SECTION 4. This bill will be implemented no later than January 1st, 2015.
9
SECTION 5. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void.
Respectfully submitted,
Rep. Ben Sevim
Lake Braddock Secondary School
B/R #405
A BILL TO UPDATE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW FOR 21ST CENTURY NETWORKS
1
BE IT ENACTED BY THE STUDENT CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:
2
SECTION 1.
The following amendments shall be made to the legislation specified, to achieve
3
the aims of reducing overzealous prosecutorial abuse against information
4
technology users like that which was exhibited in the Aaron Swartz case.
5
SECTION 2.
Section 1030 of Title 18 of the United States Code is amended by:
6
A. Repealing Section 1030(a)(4).
7
B. In Section 1030(e)(6): Striking “exceeds authorized access” and all that
8
follows, inserting “access without authorization means to obtain information
9
on a protected computer by knowingly and expressly circumventing one or
10
more technological or physical measures designed to prevent unauthorized
11
individuals from obtaining that information,” and replacing all instances of
12
“exceeds authorized access” with “access without authorization.”
C. In Section 1030(c)(2), subparagraph (B)(ii), replacing “the offense was
13
14
committed” and all that follows through the semicolon with “the offense was
15
committed in furtherance of any unconstitutional act or laws for which
16
violations are punishable by a term of imprisonment longer than one year.”
17
D. Within the Prioritizing Resources and Organization for Intellectual Property
18
Act of 2008 (H.R. 4279), all sections under Title I as well as section 206
19
under Title II shall be hereby repealed.
20
SECTION 3.
This bill will be implemented by the Department of Justice.
21
SECTION 4.
This bill shall be implemented no later than ten months after passage.
22
SECTION 5.
All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void.
Respectfully submitted,
Rep. Phillip Hedayatnia
Hawken School
B/R #406
A BILL TO PROMOTE STEM CELL RESEARCH
1
BE IT ENACTED BY THE STUDENT CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:
2
SECTION 1. This bill would allocate up to $300 million dollars annually to companies
3
currently researching embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells to
4
continue research and upgrade laboratory technology.
5
SECTION 2. A. Stem cells shall be defined as cells with the ability to divide for
6
indefinite periods of time in culture and to become specialized cells.
7
Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) shall be defined as any cell from the
8
undifferentiated inner mass cell, fertilized in vitro or otherwise, capable of
9
long-term self-renewal.
10
B. Adult stem cells (ASCs) shall be defined as an undifferentiated cell
11
found throughout the body after development in organs or differentiated
12
tissues with a limited capacity for both self-renewal (in a laboratory) and
13
differentiation.
14
15
SECTION 3. The passage of the bill shall be overseen by the Department of Health and
Human Services.
16
SECTION 4. This bill will be implemented the fiscal year after passage.
17
SECTION 5. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void.
Respectfully submitted,
Rep. Anish Chaluvadi
Southside High School
B/R #501
A BILL TO REQUIRE WARRANTS BEFORE BYPASSING ONLINE SECURITY
1
BE IT ENACTED BY THE STUDENT CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:
2
SECTION 1. The NSA will implement a procedure that requires all monitoring done of
3
any internet affiliated sites, emails, accounts, and businesses that are
4
password protected or otherwise secured from intrusion owned by
5
American Citizens to require a warrant granted for probable cause of
6
criminal or terrorist activity holding a validated span of time no longer
7
than thirty days without further evidence of criminal activity.
8
9
SECTION 2. The NSA is defined as the National Security Agency or any other names it
should have now or in the future. Internet is defined as the world wide
10
web of broadband and Wi-Fi using computer code to allow access to
11
public or private electronic databases, sites, or electronic communication
12
sites or programs. Password is defined as any code done in numbers,
13
pattern (either lines or voice), or alphabetical characters used to secure
14
something on or connected to the Internet.
15
SECTION 3. The Department of Justice will be tasked with overseeing the execution
16
and maintenance of this bill by requiring a submission for warrants based
17
on probable cause in order to be allowed to access password protected
18
materials that are on or connected to the internet. These warrants shall last
19
for no longer than 30 days and must produce further evidence of crime or
20
violation of a law to be reissued.
21
SECTION 4. This Bill will take effect no later than June 30, 2015.
22
SECTION 5. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void.
Respectfully submitted,
Rep. James Mitton
SandHoke Early College High School
B/R #502
A BILL TO PROTECT THE US ECONOMY FROM HARMFUL EPA REGULATIONS
1
BE IT ENACTED BY THE STUDENT CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:
2
SECTION 1. A new committee called the Regulation Review Committee shall be
3
formed. It will review all present and future EPA regulations, and repeal
4
the ones it deems too harmful to the US economy.
5
6
7
SECTION 2. Regulations are defined as any restrictions the EPA places on the private
sector.
SECTION 3. The RRC will be composed of 25 members. Ten must have Phds in
8
Economics, ten must have Phds in Ecology, and five must have Phds in
9
law. It cannot create regulations, but it must review all regulations created
10
by the EPA.
11
A. The House will nominate, by a means a 2/3 majority deems adequate,
12
three people for each RRC seat once every four years. The Senate will
13
then vote, by simple majority, on these nominations and determine
14
who of the three candidates for each seat gets the seat.
15
B. The Congress has the power to overrule the RRC and the EPA
16
C. No campaigning is permitted for RRC seats
17
D. It must produce a decision on a regulation no later than four weeks
18
after it began debate on said regulation.
19
SECTION 4. This bill will be implemented immediately following passage.
20
SECTION 5. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void.
Respectfully submitted,
Rep. Joseph Wetzel
Notre Dame HS
B/R #503
A BILL TO END GENOCIDE IN THE
CENTRAL REPUBLIC OF AFRICA
1
BE IT ENACTED BY THE STUDENT CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:
2
SECTION 1. The United States will formally recognize the violence in the Central
3
African Republic as genocide based on the current United Nations’
4
definition of genocide. The United Sates will deploy 2,500 troops to
5
Central African Republic to put an end to genocide, and maintain the peace
6
through peacekeeping tactics.
7
8
9
SECTION 2. Peacekeeping tactics will be defined as the United Nations’ definition of
peacekeeping.
SECTION 3. The United States Department of Defense will provide funding for these
10
mission at the present time but will petition the United Nations to assist in
11
the funding of this mission. The United States will encourage the United
12
Nations to place more peacekeepers in the Central African Republic in
13
addition to United States peacekeepers to make a multilateral push towards
14
peace.
15
SECTION 4. This bill will come into effect five months after passage. .
16
SECTION 5. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void.
Respectfully submitted,
Justin J. Delinois
McQuaid Jesuit
B/R 504
A BILL TO ELIMINATE THE PKK’S DESIGNATION AS A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION TO
ALLY WITH THEM
1
BE IT ENACTED BY THE STUDENT CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:
2
SECTION 1. The United States will no longer recognize the PKK as a terrorist
3
4
5
organization but instead as an ally.
SECTION 2. The PKK refers to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party and its armed wing, the
People’s Defense Force.
6
SECTION 3. The U.S. Department of State will oversee the enforcement of this bill.
7
SECTION 4. This bill will be implemented immediately upon its passage.
8
SECTION 5. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void.
Respectfully submitted,
Rep. Vaikunth Balaji
Ridge High School
B/R #505
A BILL TO FUND RESEARCH FOR AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY
1
BE IT ENACTED BY THE STUDENT CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:
2
SECTION 1. The federal government will fund the research of self-automated vehicles
3
4
by $2 billion.
SECTION 2. Self-automated vehicles shall be defined as driverless cars capable of
5
fulfilling the transportation capabilities of a traditional car through the use
6
of an artificial intelligence.
7
SECTION 3. The NHTSA and EPA will oversee the implementation of this bill.
8
A. The NHTSA will focus on the safety of future drivers.
9
B. The EPA will focus on environmental concerns.
10
SECTION 4. This piece of legislation will go into full effect one year after being
11
12
passed.
SECTION 5. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void.
Respectfully submitted,
Rep. Bryan Rooke
Lake Mary Prep
B/R #506
A RESOLUTION TO INSTITUTE A DIRECT PRIMARY SYSTEM IN
FEDERAL ELECTIONS
1
WHEREAS, Political polarization in American government has increased over time; and
2
WHEREAS, This polarization leads to gridlock in Congress; and
3
WHEREAS, The current structure of federal elections worsens the problem of polarization; and
4
WHEREAS, Direct primaries would allow moderate politicians to be more successful; now,
5
6
7
8
9
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Student Congress here assembled that the current system of nominating
political candidates by party be abolished; and, be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, That all candidates for federal elected offices will be chosen through
direct primaries.
Respectfully submitted,
Rep. Dana Sutton
Jackson High School
SEMIFINAL LEGISLATION: B/R #601
A BILL TO HARDEN THE U.S. ELECTRICAL GRID TO
PROTECT AGAINST SOLAR FLARES
1
BE IT ENACTED BY THE STUDENT CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:
2
SECTION 1. The U.S. government shall upgrade national electrical infrastructure to
3
4
5
6
protect against solar flares.
SECTION 2. National electrical infrastructure includes transmission lines, power
stations, and other infrastructure at risk from solar flares.
SECTION 3. The Department of Energy and NASA shall oversee the implementation of
7
this bill.
8
A. $2 billion will be allocated to the Department of Energy to fund this
9
program; the Department of Energy will establish national standards
10
11
12
for electrical infrastructure solar flare durability.
B. An additional $100 million will be allocated to NASA to better predict
solar flares.
13
C. The Secretary of Energy, with the consent of the President of the
14
United States, will have the authority to nationalize electricity
15
providing utility companies that are deemed noncompliant with the
16
Departments’ durability standards.
17
18
19
SECTION 4. This bill will go into effect January 1st, 2015, and the Department of
Energy’s hardening program will be completed by July 1st, 2016.
SECTION 5. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void.
SEMIFINAL LEGISLATION: B/R #602
A BILL TO EXPAND THE MINIMUM LEVEL OF MANDATORY OVERTIME TO
RESTORE THE MIDDLE CLASS
1
BE IT ENACTED BY THE STUDENT CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:
2
SECTION 1. The maximum income of non-exemption for the federally mandated
3
overtime requirement, as per the Fair Labor Standards Act, shall be
4
increased to $69,000 per year; all employees with a guaranteed income
5
less than or equal to the maximum are entitled to overtime pay.
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
1
SECTION 2. Salaried employees that receive a guaranteed income in excess of $69,000
per year shall be exempt from the overtime requirement.
SECTION 3. The Department of Labor will oversee the implementation of this bill.
A. Any company found to be in noncompliance with this act will be fined
$8,000 per employee, per year.
B. Mandatory overtime pay will be defined as at least 1½ times hourly
pay, for every hour worked beyond 40 hours per week.
SECTION 4. The Fair Labor Standards Act (1938) is herein amended; this bill shall go
into effect on January 1st, 2015.
SECTION 5. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void
SEMIFINAL LEGISLATION: B/R #603
A BILL TO ALLEVIATE THE EFFECTS OF URANIUM MINING TO
PROTECT THE NAVAJO NATION
1
BE IT ENACTED BY THE STUDENT CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:
2
SECTION 1. The United States government will remediate uranium mining sites on the
3
4
Navajo Nation reservation.
SECTION 2. Any site in the Navajo Nation where uranium mining took place, or where
5
waste from uranium mining remains that poses a substantial threat to
6
human health, will qualify for this program.
7
SECTION 3. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will oversee the
8
implementation of this bill.
9
A. $50 billion will be set aside to remediate uranium mining sites.
10
B. $1 billion will be set aside to compensate American Indian victims
11
who have suffered because of uranium mining, up to $200,000 per
12
individual.
13
SECTION 4. This bill shall go into effect on January 1st, 2015.
14
SECTION 5. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void.
FINAL LEGISLATION: B/R #701
A RESOLUTION TO AMEND THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION TO
PROHIBIT VOTING DISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF AGE
1
WHEREAS, The Republic’s youth are represented by adults they did not elect; and
2
WHEREAS, Youth must have the capacity for self-advocacy; and
3
WHEREAS, Our democracy depends upon the representation of all citizens; and now,
4
therefore, be it
5
RESOLVED, By two-thirds of the Congress here assembled, that the following article is
6
proposed as an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which
7
shall be valid to all intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when
8
ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several states within
9
seven years from the date of its submission by the Congress:
10
ARTICLE --
11
SECTION 1: The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not
12
be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State
13
on account of age.
14
SECTION 2: U. S. CONST. AMEND 26. is hereby expunged.
15
SECTION 3: Congress shall have the power to enforce this resolution
16
with appropriate legislation.
1
1
Respectfully submitted,
George Mason
FINAL LEGISLATION: B/R #702
A RESOLUTION TO AMEND THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION TO
LIMIT THE TERMS OF FEDERAL JURISTS
1
2
3
4
5
6
WHEREAS, Judicial overreach threatens the coequal status of the Legislative and
Executive Branches; and
WHEREAS, Lifetime appointments undermine the separations of power set out in the
Constitution; and
WHEREAS, The Judicial Branch should not arbitrarily abrogate the power of the
citizenry; and now, therefore, be it
7
RESOLVED, By two-thirds of the Congress here assembled, that the following article is
8
proposed as an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which
9
shall be valid to all intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when
10
ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several states within
11
seven years from the date of its submission by the Congress:
12
ARTICLE --
13
SECTION 1: The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in
14
one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the
15
Congress may from time to time ordain and establish. All
16
Federal Jurists of the supreme and inferior courts appointed
17
by the President and confirmed by the Senate shall hold
18
their offices for one twelve-year term, with good behavior,
19
and shall, at stated Times, receive for their Services, a
20
Compensation, which shall not be diminished during their
21
Continuance in Office.
22
SECTION 2: U. S. CONST. ART III. § 1 is herein expunged.
23
SECTION 3: Congress shall have the power to enforce this resolution
24
with appropriate legislation.
1
Respectfully submitted,
George Mason
FINAL LEGISLATION: B/R #703
A RESOLUTION TO AMEND THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION TO
AFFIRM THE VALIDITY OF THE PUBLIC DEBT
1
2
3
4
5
6
WHEREAS, U. S. CONST. AMEND XIV. § 4 precludes legislative disruption to the
accumulation and servicing of public debt; and
WHEREAS, A congressionally determined “debt ceiling” threatens the commerce of
the United States; and
WHEREAS, The solvency of the public trust of the United States must not be
questioned; and now, therefore, be it
7
RESOLVED, By two-thirds of the Congress here assembled, that the following article is
8
proposed as an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which
9
shall be valid to all intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when
10
ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several states within
11
seven years from the date of its submission by the Congress:
12
13
14
15
16
ARTICLE -SECTION 1: There shall be no ceiling on the amount of total debt or
obligations accrued by the government of the United States.
SECTION 2: The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by
appropriate legislation.
Respectfully submitted,
George Mason

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