What happens in a Congress session
Congress simulates a legislature. Students (delegates) propose legislation, deliver speeches, ask questions, and vote. A Presiding Officer (PO) manages procedure and keeps time. Judges evaluate speaking quality, clash, and leadership.
Speech order & timing
| Type | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Authorship / First Pro | 3:00 + 2:00 questioning | Given by the sponsor or first supporter; lays the groundwork |
| First Con | 3:00 + 1:00 questioning | Direct rebuttal to authorship; introduces clash |
| Subsequent Pro/Con | 3:00 + 1:00 questioning | New analysis plus line-by-line refutation |
Precedence & recency (who speaks next)
- Precedence: Priority to delegates with the fewest speeches.
- Recency: Tiebreak goes to the delegate who has spoken least recently.
- The PO should alternate pro/con whenever possible to maintain fairness.
What judges reward
- Clear organization: intro roadmap, signposting, and a weighted conclusion.
- Evidence quality: current, credible citations tied to impacts.
- Clash: precise answers to prior arguments; extend and weigh.
- Leadership: respectful questioning, helpful motions, POing effectively.
Authorship template (readable outline)
Hook (why this matters today) Thesis: This bill should pass because [Mechanism] solves [Problem]. Roadmap: Background → Advantages → Answers to likely Cons → Voting issues. Background: 1–2 facts to set context; define key terms. Advantage 1: [Tagline]. Evidence + warrant → impact. Advantage 2: [Tagline]. Evidence + warrant → impact. Preempt: Address the most likely criticism (costs, federalism, feasibility). Weigh: Why these impacts outweigh and are more probable. Ballot ask: “For these reasons, I urge an affirmative vote.”
Questioning (how to win the cross)
- Ask short, leading questions that force a yes/no or a tight explanation.
- Set up your next speech: expose missing mechanism, cost, or jurisdiction.
- When answering, concede the obvious and defend the decisive.
Practice plan (30–40 minutes)
- Read a sample bill for 5 minutes. Outline an authorship in 8 minutes.
- Deliver a 3-minute speech; partner asks 2 minutes of questions.
- Swap and repeat with a con speech; end with 5 minutes of weighing drills.