Florida Sunshine NonQual Congress
2025 — St. Petersburg, FL/US
NonQual Congress
Event Description:
Tournament competitors will adhere to to the NSDA Congressional Debate Guide. chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.speechanddebate.org/wp-content/uploads/Congressional-Debate-Guide.pdf
Important rule distinctions:
1. For cross: 2 minute running cross after Authorship/Sponsorship speech and first Negative Speech. One minute of running cross for every speech that follows. All questioners must be recognized by presiding officer. Each questioner has a 30 second block wherein they can ask single-part questions to the speaker. This does not mean questioners can only ask ONE question in their thirty seconds, but rather, that multi-part questions are not permitted.
2. For amendments: Amendments are considered neutral and do not constitute an affirmative or negative speech on the original legislation. If there are no speakers or the previous question is moved, the chamber may vote on a proposed amendment without debating it.
3. One-sided debates: There is no maximum number of consecutive one-sided speeches that forces the chamber to move to the previous question. Whether or not to call the previous question is the discretion of a) the chamber competitors, and b) the presiding officer, who, in order to maintain the conventions of Congressional Debate, may ask that the chamber move to the previous question in cases where there is no real debate (a lack of proponent/opposition speeches).