TimberCat Classic

2026 — Bentonville, AR/US

• Invite
• Entries
• Judges
• Register

Congressional Debate

Event Description:

Congressional Debate (often called Student Congress) is an NSDA event that simulates the United States Congress, where a "chamber" of 18–25 students debates advance-prepared mock legislation. Unlike traditional formats, it operates as an individual event held in a group setting; students do not have fixed affirmative or negative sides but choose whether to speak in pro or con stances as the debate unfolds. ⚖️ Core Format & Roles

• The Chamber: Students act as legislators, using a modified version of Robert's Rules of Order to pass motions, table discussion, and vote on items. [1, 2]
• Presiding Officer (PO): A student elected by the chamber to run the session. The PO calls on speakers, tracks time, and manages parliamentary motions. [1, 2]
• Judges & Scorers: Evaluated by two or three scorers who rate individual speeches (on a scale of 1–6) and the PO's performance, alongside a Parliamentarian who oversees the rules of the chamber. [1, 2]

📜 Types of Legislation Before a tournament, schools submit mock legislation compiled into a Docket. This consists of two main types:

1. Bills: Proposed laws that detail specific policy actions, funding, implementation dates, and enforcement agencies.
2. Resolutions: Formal position statements expressing the chamber’s stance on non-jurisdictional issues, lacking the binding force of law.

⏱️ Speech and Questioning Structure Every speech is capped at a maximum of 3 minutes. Rounds proceed with a strict alternation between sponsorship/affirmative and negative viewpoints: Speech Type Time Limit Questioning Period Description

Authorship / Sponsorship	3 minutes	2 minutes	The first speech introducing an item, given by the student or school who wrote it.
First Negative	3 minutes	2 minutes	The initial speech opposing the legislation.
Subsequent Speeches (Pro/Con)	3 minutes	1 minute	Later speeches that introduce new arguments or actively cross-apply and refute previous speakers.