SoCal Spring Speech and Debate Challenge 1
2021 — NSDA Campus, CA/US
Congress Bills
ROUND 1
A Resolution to Transition to Statehood
1 WHEREAS, The Constitution of the United States states, “The Congress shall have Power to dispose 2 of and make all needful Rules and Regulations respecting the Territory or other Property 3 belonging to the United States” (Article IV, Section 3, Clause 2); and 4 WHEREAS, The U.S. Territory of Puerto Rico passed in November 2020 a referendum to become 5 the 51st state; and
6 WHEREAS, No valid petition for statehood has ever been denied by the United States Congress; 7 now, therefore, be it
8 RESOLVED, That the Congress here assembled recommends the 46th President of the United States 9 issue a proclamation on January 20, 2021, to begin the transition process that will result 10 in Puerto Rico’s admission as a state effective January 1, 2022.
ROUND 2
A Resolution to Decriminalize Personal Drug Use
1 WHEREAS, Huge swaths of the American population are in prison due to a drug-related crime, 2 compounding the already existent issue of individuals getting trapped in the prison 3 pipeline as societal structures create a bulwark against opportunities even once they 4 leave prison, such as employment; and
5 WHEREAS, There are currently more than 389,000 people in prisons for drug-related offenses and 6 individuals, consequently, fear the retributively centered American justice system, 7 which discourages them from seeking safe injection sites or medical treatment for 8 overdoses; and
9 WHEREAS, The current legal system has demonstrated that the criminalization of drugs lacks 10 incentives for individuals not to use drugs in the ways that government officials hoped, 11 meaning without significant legal alterations individuals will continue to be sent to 12 prison in huge quantities; and
13 WHEREAS, Oregon in November of 2020 became the first state to decriminalize the possession 14 and personal use of all drugs in small quantities; and
15 WHEREAS, Oregon is expanding access to addiction assistance and other health services instead of 16 arresting and jailing its vulnerable populations; now, therefore, be it 17 RESOLVED, That the Congress here assembled recommend states adopt measures such as 18 Oregon’sto decriminalize the possession and personal use of drugs.
ROUND 3
A BILL TO ALLOCATE FUNDING TOWARDS THE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF DISEASE-RESISTANT BANANAS
FINALS
A Bill to Establish a U.S. Belt and Road Initiative
1 BE IT ENACTED BY THE CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT: 2 SECTION 1. The Federal Government will make available $250 billion in funding for 3 the creation of the, “Pan-American Infrastructure Investment Initiative,” 4 or PAIII.
5 SECTION 2. Federal funds appropriated for PAI will be used to build an 6 interconnected infrastructure apparatus that will include, but not be 7 limited to, building roads, ports, energy grids, telecommunications 8 centers, airports, and other buildings used for commercial and trading 9 activities in the United States, Central America, South America, and the 10 Pacific Islands.
11 SECTION 3. The Departments of State and Treasury will be jointly responsible for the 12 implementation of PAIII.
13 A. The State Department will be responsible for working with foreign 14 governments in the pursuit of implementing PAIII. 15 B. The Treasury Department will be permitted to seek additional funding 16 from Congress as needed for the implementation of PAIII. 17 SECTION 4. This legislation will go into effect immediately upon passage. 18 SECTION 5. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void.