Cuthbertson Classic

2024 — Waxhaw, NC/US

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Varsity Congressional Debate

Event Description:

Congressional Debate is a simulation of the real United States legislature. A group of 10-25 students, called a Chamber, will compete in a legislative session. Students will be selected by a presiding officer to give speeches both advocating for and encouraging the defeat of the measure in front of them. Following each speech, competitors will be able to pose questions of the speaker. Once debate is exhausted on a particular item, the chamber will vote either to pass or fail the legislation, and debate moves on to the next item. Typically, one session of Congress lasts about 2-3 hours. During that time, students typically give speeches 3 minutes in length. The first two speeches on a piece of legislation are known as the first advocacy, or first pro, and the first rejection, or first con. These speeches are followed by 2 minutes of cross examination. After the first pro and con speech are established, each additional speaker is subject to one minute of cross examination by the chamber.

For the Cuthbertson Classic, we will use the NSDA JANUARY 2024 LEGISLATION DOCKET.