Congress Legislation for Novices

Full Description of Legislation can be found on the Topics page on the NSDA Website (speechanddebate.org)

Or click here to download the entire docket

Novice Congress Legislation:

 ROUND 1

A Resolution to End the Cuban Trade Embargo 

1 WHEREAS, The embargo is currently economically devastating Cuba and creating a national  

2 humanitarian crisis, while also economically disadvantaging the United States and acting  

3 counter-productive towards efforts of liberalization; and 

4 WHEREAS, It is estimated that the United States loses $1.2 billion per year in sales and  

5 exports and that the embargo has cost Cuba more than $130 billion since it began in 1960  

6 which, coupled with the ramifications of COVID-19, will cause its economy to shrink an  

7 additional 10% in the next fiscal year; and 

8 WHEREAS, Extending diplomacy and softening U.S. policy and restrictions has previously  

9 caused the Cuban government to relax regulations on remittances and travel to Cuba and  

10 create economic reforms including decentralizing the agricultural sector and expanding access  

11 to goods; and 

12 WHEREAS, The use of the embargo has proven ineffective, while extending diplomatic  

13 measures achieved the political and economic liberalization the embargo unsuccessfully  

14 attempted to incentivize, which were only reversed when the full extent of the embargo was re 

15 implemented; now, therefore, be it 

16 RESOLVED, That the Congress here assembled ends the Cuban trade embargo. 

ROUND 2

Climate Change Act of 2020 

1 BE IT ENACTED BY THE CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT: 

2 SECTION 1. The United States will produce 80% of its power from renewable energy sources  

3 by 2050 with the goal of reaching net-zero emissions.  

4 A. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will institute a carbon tax of $20 per  

5 pound of carbon produced.  

6 B. $3 billion in subsidies will be allocated towards renewable energy sources. 

7 C. An independent review board will be established to process research and provide  

8 advice to governmental agencies concerning the sustainability of renewable  

9 energy usage.  

10 SECTION 2. Renewable energy will encompass solar power, wind power, hydroelectric power,  

11 geothermal power, tidal power, and biomass.  

12 SECTION 3. The EPA will oversee the enforcement of this legislation. 

13 A. The EPA will work alongside the independent review board to monitor progress  

14 and compliance.  

15 SECTION 4. This legislation shall go into effect January 1, 2021.  

16 SECTION 5. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void. 

ROUND 3

A Resolution to Allocate Funding to the United States Postal Service 

1 WHEREAS, The United States Postal Service (USPS) does not have sustainable capital  

2 inflow and is projected to run out of funding; and 

3 WHEREAS, First-class mail volume has decreased by more than 30% over the past decade  

4 and in 2019 the USPS’ net loss rose to $8.8 billion and currently has more than $160 billion in  

5 unpaid liabilities; and 

6 WHEREAS, The reduction in mail sorting machines, overtime hours for mail carriers and  

7 after-hours deliveries has significantly slowed the process of mail delivery and, consequently,  

8 may not meet deadlines for delivering voting ballots for the elections in November of 2020; and 

9 WHEREAS, It is forecasted that the USPS will run out of funding by April 2021 without  

10 substantial financial action and, until then, will not be able to efficiently guarantee mail delivery  

11 services; now, therefore, be it 

12 RESOLVED, That the Congress here assembled allocate $20 billion to support the United  

13 States Postal Service.