Congress Rules, Docket, Schedule

BJA 34^th Invitational

2020 Legislation Packet 

All competitors should bookmark the document at this link for up to the minute tournament updates in real time.  Please read the entire document before Saturday and check it throughout the tournament as well.  Competitors should also read the information below, which is separate from the information in the document.

Please read these docket and procedural rules very carefully.  They will be in effect for the duration of the tournament.

1.     Each session (1, 2 and finals) will be assigned three main pieces of legislation.  One backup piece of legislation is provided in case any session runs out early. There is only one backup for the entire tournament.  After it is exhausted, there is no additional legislation to debate.

2.     Chambers will decide among themselves by a majority vote of the chamber what order to debate the three main pieces of legislation assigned to each session. 

3.     The one piece of backup legislation may not be debated unless the three main pieces in a session have been fully debated and voted on. In fact, it is not even to be placed on the agenda unless it becomes needed.  

4.     The docket agenda can be amended at any time by a 2/3 vote of the chamber, but students may only move around the three pieces of main legislation for that session. Legislation may not be moved from the session to which it is assigned under any circumstances.

5.     Each piece of legislation must have both one affirmative and one negative speech before previous question is called.  Previous question may be called anytime within the hour.  However, it MUST be called if debate is still going on at the one hour mark.

6.     PRESIDING OFFICERS:  

•       Parliamentarians will use strawpoll.com or strawpoll.me to conduct virtual PO elections.

•       The novice chambers will not elect POs.  They will be provided by the tournament. 

•       There will be two Presiding Officers per session (total of four for the day) in the varsity chambers.  Each will serve one half of a session.   These elections will occur at the beginning of each session.  Prior to the first session, an election is conducted and the winner chooses whether they would like to preside for the first or second half of the session.  Then a second election must immediately be held with the winner of that election taking the other half of the session.  Repeat this process at the beginning of session two.

7.     Cross examination will use direct questioning with individual questioning periods of 30 seconds until the total cross examination time for the speaker has expired. The Presiding Officer will keep a separate recency chart for this and ensure that all competitors have an equal chance to ask questions.  

LEGISLATION DOCKET

(NSDA, October)

Session One (Chamber decides order):

A.      Climate Change Act of 2020

B.      A Bill to Prohibit Paid Political Advertisements

C.      A Resolution to End the Cuban Trade Embargo

Session Two (Chamber decides order):

A.     A Bill to Create a National Firearms Registry

B.     A Bill to Combat the Gender Pay Gap

C.     A Resolution to Allocate Funding to the United Stated Postal Service

Finals (Chamber decides order):

A.    A Resolution to Require Employers to Recognize Unions 

     B.    A Resolution to Remove Sanctions Against North Korea 

     C.    A Resolution to Adopt a National Happiness Index

Backup Legislation (Only if a 4th piece becomes necessary in a session):

     A Bill to Increase Taxes on Millionaires

CONGRESS SCHEDULE

Please note that this schedule is tentative and subject to adjustment by the tournament at any time.  Be prepared for updates.

8:45 AM:  Technology Check in assigned room (mandatory for all students and judges)

9AM – 11:15 AM:  Session 1

11:15 AM – 12:15 PM   Lunch Recess

12:15 PM: Technology Check in assigned room (mandatory for all students and judges)

12:30 PM – 2:45 PM:  Session 2

2:45 PM – 3:30 PM:  Afternoon Recess

3:30 PM – 6:00 PM:  Finals