Congress Information

Directions to Congress Judges and Parliamentarians:

Session Times:
Senate
Preliminary Session - 8:30 to 12:00
Super Session – 12:30 to 3:00

Decorum – Floor Speeches and Cross-Examination (from the NCFL Congress Manual)

Members shall claim the floor in debate only if they wish to oppose the views of the preceding speaker; debate will thus alternate between pro and con speakers. If no one wishes to oppose the preceding speaker, the presiding officer may recognize a speaker upholding the same side. The time limit for each speech is three minutes.

Members may not yield any portion of their speaking time to another member except to answer a question during a cross-examination period. After a sponsorship speech on an item of legislation, the sponsor must stand for a two-minute cross-examination period. After any other type of speech, the speaker may decline to answer questions. When many members wish to speak, the Presiding Officer will choose those who have spoken least. Members may speak more than once on the same legislation. Presiding Officers should maintain careful records of the number of times each student has spoken and use this as a guide in the selection of speakers.

A member may speak more than once on the same question but may not do so unless no other speaker wishes to speak. The Presiding Officer may refuse to recognize a speaker if the P.O. feels that the speaker is trying to monopolize debate. This decision is appealable.

Voting Procedures:

Senate:
Preliminary sessions:   The official prelim chambers will have one adult who serves as parliamentarian and presiding officer, and a second adult who serves as scorekeeper. The two adults in the preliminary session will each rank the top 10 students in their chamber.  From these rankings, the top six ranked students in two preliminary chambers advance to the super session.  If there are three chambers, then the top four ranked students in each chamber advance; if there are four chambers, then the top three students in each chamber advance.  Points from the preliminary sessions will be used, if necessary, to break a tie.
Super session:  All scorekeepers should keep scores on all of the students in the super session.  At the end of the session, find the total for each student.  Add all three scores together.  In addition, all scorekeepers and the parliamentarian each nominate the best student in the chamber. The parliamentarian should bring the nominations and the point totals to the tab room where a ballot of seven names will be created using this information.   Once the ballot is created, the students in the chamber, and the judges and the parliamentarian, each rank those seven individuals from one through seven, with one being the best.  The ballots are to be collected and brought to the tab room.  Winners will be announced at the awards assembly.

Score sheets should be returned to the students at the end of the voting.

Unofficial chamber:

Each scorekeeper and the parliamentarian should nominate one student, the one that they feel is the best in the room. The parliamentarian should collect these nominations and use them and the best scored students in the chamber to create a slate of up to five names.  Students should rank each of the five names from one through five (one being the best).  The parliamentarian should add up the votes, determine the winners (lowest total equals the best), and submit those names to the tab room.  Winners will be announced at the awards assembly.

Score sheets should be returned to the students as they are voting.

Judge Assignments: