Apologies for the rough formatting -- Tabroom is just a terrible platform. We will circulate clean PDF copies with line numbers to all schools once entries are finalized.

 

 

PRELIM LEGISLATION 1:

A Bill to Mandate a Living Wage for all Military Personnel

BE IT ENACTED BY THE CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:

SECTION 1. A mandatory living wage is established for all military personnel.  No full-time enlisted member of any branch of the United States Armed Forces shall be paid a base wage lower than the equivalent of $15.00 per hour, based upon a forty hour work week. 

SECTION 2. The United States Department of Labor, the United States Department of Defense, and the United States Department of the Treasury shall oversee the implementation of this legislation.

SECTION 3. To fund this increase, the federal income tax rate for all tax brackets shall be raised by a single percentage determined by the Internal Revenue Service to be sufficient to cover the expected increased cost, but in no event to exceed an additional 1.5 percent.

SECTION 4. This bill shall be take effect beginning January 1, 2023.  

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

 

PRELIM LEGISLATION 2:

A Resolution to Prevent Court Packing

WHEREAS, Proposals to expand the Supreme Court beyond nine justices recently have garnered serious attention from public officials and candidates; and

WHEREAS, Expansion of the Supreme Court would render it more politicized and thus less able to render impartial justice; and

WHEREAS, Expansion would leave the Court constantly vulnerable to direct political manipulation; now therefore be it 

RESOLVED, That the following article is proposed as an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, and shall be valid when ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years after the date of its submission by the Congress:  

Section 1.  The Supreme Court of the United States shall be composed of not more than nine justices.  

Section 2.  The Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

 

PRELIM LEGISLATION 3:

A Bill to Rebuild The Navy

BE IT ENACTED BY THE CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:

SECTION 1. The Congress recognizes that there is an urgent need to rebuild the Navy and ensure it is prepared to engage with adversaries around the world through an increased investment in naval power.

SECTION 2. The Congress further recognizes that the fleet is not sufficiently sized or equipped to deter adversaries while maintaining continuous deployment in regions where the United States has critical national interests.

SECTION 3. The Navy shall increase its force structure to the following by no later than 2035:  (a) 12 ballistic missile submarines; (b) 100 nuclear powered attack submarines; (c) 15 aircraft carriers; (d) 156 large and small surface combat ships; (e) 8 polar surface combat ships; (f) 38 amphibious ships; (g) 54 combat logistics force ships; (h) 14 expeditionary fast transports; (i) 6 expeditionary support base ships; (j) 23 command and support ships.

SECTION 4.Appropriate funds shall be allocated in each annual Department of Defense budget to meet the above-listed targets.  The Secretary of the Navy shall report annually to the Congress on progress toward these targets and the status of the fleet.

SECTION 5. This law shall take effect upon passage.  All laws in conflict with this Act are hereby declared null and void. 

 

PRELIM LEGISLATION 4:

A Resolution to Establish Equitable Marginal Tax Rates

WHEREAS, The problem of income inequality is worsening, with the highest earners controlling an extremely disproportionate share of income, while lower- and middle-income Americans see their purchasing power stagnate; and

WHEREAS, Marginal tax rates in the United States are significantly lower than those of comparable developed countries; and

WHEREAS, Inadequate tax revenues are responsible for record budget deficits and a growing national debt; and 

WHEREAS, The United States’ most robust economic growth of the twentieth century occurred in the 1950’s, when marginal rates were at seventy percent; and

WHEREAS, Economists have reached a consensus that higher tax rates on the wealthy would help achieve optimal public welfare without sacrificing economic growth; now therefore be it

RESOLVED, By the Congress here assembled that the marginal personal income tax rate on the highest earners should be returned to seventy percent. 

 

 

PRELIM LEGISLATION 5:

A Bill to Improve Health Care for Veterans

BE IT ENACTED BY THE CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:

SECTION 1. The Veterans Health Administration division of the Department of Veterans Affairs is hereby abolished. All hospitals and other facilities operated by the Administration shall be closed.

SECTION 2. In lieu of the services provided at these facilities, veterans shall be eligible for coverage under health insurance plans provided by the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP), which will allow veterans to seek medical care wherever they prefer.

SECTION 3. Funding formerly allocated to the Veterans Health Administration shall be redirected to subsidize the cost of premiums, co-pays, and other expenses associated with the FEHBP plans available to veterans.   FEHBP plans shall use the same criteria for subsidies as is presently used for treatment at Veteran’s Administration facilities, including but not limited to income and whether an illness is service-related.

SECTION 4. This bill shall begin implementation April 1, 2023, with the closure of facilities and adoption of FEHBP plans to be complete no later than April 1, 2025. 

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

 

PRELIM LEGISLATION 6:

The Historical Accuracy in Education Act 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:

SECTION 1. The Congress recognizes that multiple state legislatures have enacted or are considering enacting legislation to prohibit or deter teaching K-12 students the history of racial bias and other forms of discrimination in America, and finds that this poses a grave threat to the education of an informed citizenry.

SECTION 2. No criminal, civil, or administrative penalty of any kind may be enforced against any individual or institution engaged in K-12 education in the United States for providing instruction, instructional materials, extracurricular opportunities, or other information concerning historical or ongoing discrimination or bias on the basis of race, sex, religion, or any other legally protected status.   

SECTION 3. All state and local laws in conflict with this Act are hereby preempted and void. Any state or other governmental official found to have intentionally violated or assisted in the violation of this Act shall be personally liable to the affected parties in the amount of $100,000 per offense, which shall be enforceable via civil action in any court of competent jurisdiction. Any affected party shall likewise be entitled to appropriate injunctive relief including reinstatement of employment.

SECTION 4. This bill shall be in effect immediately upon passage. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void. 

 

PRELIM LEGISLATION 7:

Red Flag Authorization Act

BE IT ENACTED BY THE CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:

SECTION 1. Upon determining by preponderance of evidence that a person poses a clear and significant risk to self or others due to possession of a firearm, any federal or state court having competent jurisdiction over felony criminal matters may issue an Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) prohibiting said person from possessing or purchasing any firearm for a defined and limited period of time.

SECTION 2. Upon being served with an ERPO, the respondent shall be required to surrender any and all firearms in his or her possession or ownership to authorities.

SECTION 3. Proceedings for issuance of an ERPO may be initiated by petition from a law enforcement agency or private individual, and must be accompanied by a sworn affidavit stating the reasons why the order is necessary.  

SECTION 4. After issuance of an ERPO, the court must schedule a second hearing within fourteen days at which the petitioning party and the respondent shall be present.  The petitioning party shall have the burden of establishing by clear and convincing evidence that the ERPO is necessary to prevent harm to the respondent or others.  Where this burden is met, the ERPO may be enforced for a period not to exceed 365 days, after which it must be renewed by the process outlined in Section 4 of this Act. 

SECTION 5. Willful violation of an ERPO shall be a felony punishable by not more than five years imprisonment.

SECTION 6. This Act shall be in effect from and after July 1st, 2022. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void. 

 

PRELIM LEGISLATION 8:

A Bill To Address the Truck Driver Shortage

BE IT ENACTED BY THE CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:

SECTION 1. The Congress notes that the lack of a sufficient number of well-trained, adequately compensated truck drivers poses a serious threat to the nation’s supply chain.

SECTION 2. The minimum wage for obtaining a Class A commercial driver’s license, or any equivalent license permitting the holder to operate a vehicle carrying freight over public roads, shall be eighteen (18) years of age. Any state laws specifying a higher age or otherwise conflicting with this section are hereby preempted and void.

SECTION 3. There is hereby established within the Department of Commerce a nationwide grant program by which any individual obtaining or renewing a commercial driver’s license may be reimbursed for all costs associated with the training, application, and evaluation process, not to exceed $10,000 for an initial application or $500 per renewal, upon proof of successful completion. Funding for this program shall be taken from Department’s discretionary budget. The Department is hereby authorized to enact regulations and procedures to implement this program.

SECTION 4. This legislation shall be in effect ninety (90) days after passage. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void. 

 

PRELIM LEGISLATION 9:

A Bill to Embargo the People’s Republic of China

BE IT ENACTED BY THE CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED:

SECTION 1. All importation and exportation of goods and services to and from the People’s Republic of China is hereby prohibited until such time as this Congress determines that it has ceased the attempted genocide of the Uyghur people in Xinjiang. 

SECTION 2. This legislation shall be enforced by the Department of State and such other agencies as may be necessary to effectuate the prohibition herein.

SECTION 3. This legislation will take effect immediately upon passage. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void.

 

PRELIM LEGISLATION 10:

A Resolution to Expand NATO

WHEREAS, Unprovoked Russian aggression toward Ukraine and other Eastern European nations poses a grave threat to global security; and

WHEREAS, Russian demands that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization not admit new members reflect bad faith attempts to fragment Europe and facilitate future aggression; and

WHEREAS, Such demands warrant a direct response that leaves no doubt Russian aggression will not be tolerated or rewarded; now there be it

RESOLVED, That the United States should pursue a policy of public support for the expansion of NATO in Eastern Europe, including specific support for membership status of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Ukraine, Sweden, and Finland. To this end, the United States should actively  engage in diplomatic efforts to secure formal applications for NATO membership from these  countries, and to secure  approval of said applications by current NATO members. 

 

FINALS LEGISLATION 1:

A Bill to End Agriculture Subsidies

BE IT ENACTED BY THE CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED:

SECTION 1. All agencies of the United States Federal Government shall cease providing monetary subsidies for agricultural production, and all funding appropriations for such subsidies are hereby repealed.

SECTION 2. Any imported agricultural product from a country providing subsidies to its agricultural producers shall be subject to a tariff equal to the amount of the subsidy, as determined by the Office of the United States Trade Representative.

SECTION 3. This legislation will take effect on January 1st, 2023.  

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

 

FINALS LEGISLATION 2:

A Resolution to Recognize Animal Rights

WHEREAS, Scientific consensus has clearly established that certain species of non-human animals possess sapience, defined as the ability to think, acquire wisdom, and exercise judgement; and

WHEREAS, There is no moral justification for differentiating between humans and sapient non-humans in the recognition of basic rights such as the rights to life and basic liberty, now therefore be it 

RESOLVED, That the United States Federal Government should establish an enforceable and binding framework for the recognition of basic legal rights of animals determined by scientific consensus to possess intelligence comparable to humans.  And be it further

RESOLVED, That said framework should include (1) a process for identifying species entitled to protection of rights; (2) a method for determining the appropriate scope of protections for a given species, to include at minimum a right to live and to be free from physical harm or forced captivity; and (3) a procedure by which human parties may pursue legal remedies on behalf of sapient animals.  

 

FINALS LEGISLATION 3:

A Bill to Ban Oil and Gas Leasing on Public Lands

BE IT ENACTED BY THE CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:

SECTION 1. For each year following the passage of this legislation, royalty rates to lease public lands for oil and gas energy development shall increase by 3.5%, and once rates reach 30%, the United States shall ban all leasing of public lands for oil and gas energy development, production, and exploration. 

SECTION 2. An “oil and gas lease” shall be defined as a deed by which a landowner authorizes exploration for and production of oil or natural gas on their land.  “Public lands” shall be defined as any land or interest in land owned by the United States federal government within the several States and administered by the Secretary of the Interior through the Bureau of Land Management.

SECTION 3. This legislation will be enforced by the Secretary of the Interior and the Bureau of Land Management. 

SECTION 4. This legislation will take effect July 1, 2022. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void.

 

FINALS LEGISLATION 4:

A Bill to Ban Photo ID Requirements for Voting

BE IT ENACTED BY THE CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:

SECTION 1. The Congress finds that photographic identification requirements have minimal impact on voter fraud but significantly deter lower-income individuals, as well as people from historically marginalized groups, from voting.

SECTION 2. Requirements of photo identification as a condition for voting in federal elections are hereby prohibited. This prohibition applies to any election in which any federal office appears on the ballot, irrespective of whether state, local, or other races also appear.

SECTION 3. Photo identification shall be defined as a piece of personal identification that contains a photograph, including but not limited to licenses, passports, employment IDs, or student IDs. 

SECTION 4. The Department of Justice shall oversee the implementation of this bill. Any United States Attorney’s office may bring suit for injunctive or monetary relief in any court of competent jurisdiction to enforce the requirements herein.

SECTION 5. This legislation shall take effect July 1, 2022. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void.

 

FINALS LEGISLATION 5:

A Bill to Cease Production of Physical Currency

BE IT ENACTED BY THE CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT: 

SECTION 1. The United States federal government shall begin a five-year transition process toward the cessation of the production of physical currency.  

SECTION 2. Physical currency will be defined as coins and bill notes in any denomination currently serving as legal tender in the United States.

SECTION 3. The Department of the Treasury shall develop a secure digital currency that shall have the full faith and credit of the United States government and shall be issued in the same denominations as currently-existing physical currency. The Department shall oversee a nationwide promotional campaign to enhance awareness on the transition to digital currency.

SECTION 4. The Federal Reserve Board shall develop and implement regulations requiring all banks and financial institutions to offer conversion of physical currency into accounts of federally-backed digital currency at no charge to the individual, and reimbursing said institutions in digital currency.

SECTION 5. This legislation shall take effect immediately upon passage. No later than two years following the passage of this legislation, the Department of the Treasury shall cease production of new physical currency and begin payment of government obligations solely via digital currency. Five years following the  date of passage, physical currency shall cease to serve as legal tender in the United States, but may still be converted into digital currency at FDIC-regulated institutions. All conflicting laws are hereby null and void. 

 

FINALS LEGISLATION 6:

A Resolution to Adopt A “No First Use” Policy 

WHEREAS, Nuclear weapons continue to pose an existential threat to the United States and all of humanity; and

WHEREAS, The risk of nuclear destruction is dramatically increased where nuclear weapons are placed on alert, as mistaken threat assessments can trigger a catastrophic nuclear exchange; and

WHEREAS, A policy categorically rejecting the use of nuclear weapons prior to a nuclear attack by another country—that is, a “no first use” policy—effectively eliminates this risk without materially reducing nuclear deterrence; and

WHEREAS, Both China and India already have adopted no first use policies, while the United States continues to reserve the right of first use of nuclear weapons in certain situations; now therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the United States should adopt a no first use policy for its nuclear arsenal, and should enforce said policy by taking its entire arsenal off alert status and instead prioritizing a strategy of survivability and deterrence through overwhelming second strike capabilities.