Belton MS Tournament
2024 — Belton, MO/US
Congress
Event Description:
Congressional Debate
Congressional Debate simulates the real United States legislature. A group of 10-25 students, called a Chamber, will compete in a legislative session. Students from various schools will propose a series of bills and resolutions. A presiding officer — a student elected to conduct the business of the round — will select students in turn to give speeches both advocating for and encouraging the defeat of the measure in front of them. Following each speech, competitors will pose questions of the speaker. Once debate concludes on a particular item, the chamber will vote either to pass or fail the legislation, and debate moves on to the next item. Legislation comes in two types: a bill and a resolution. A bill is a plan of action, detailing how to implement a particular policy proposal. A resolution, meanwhile, is a statement expressing the opinion of the chamber. Typically, one session of Congress lasts about two or three hours. During that time, students typically give speeches three minutes in length. The first two speeches on a piece of legislation include the first advocacy, or first pro, and the first rejection, or first con. Two minutes of cross examination follow these speeches. After the first pro and con speech, the chamber subjects each additional speaker to one minute of cross examination. (Revised November 2022)