Student Congress For Lower Moreland Debaters

OK, so what is Student Congress? Mr. M just learned, and so did most of the coaches in the league. Most debaters have never done it before: It’s a new event, so no one has a big advantage. Success will be about smarts and willingness to work at it.

Remember the reason for Congress: Only a limited number can compete in Public Forum. At each tournament a maximum of four LM pairs and four judges are guaranteed a spot. One more threesome (debate pair plus judge) will be on standby until the people running the tournament (ultimately our president of nearly 50 years) know about room availability. But several more LM debaters can enter each Congress (first one meets at the Oct. 20th workshop- see previous handout for an explanation), including those on standby for Public Forum. That means we could bring 20+ people to each tournament..

Each Congress is based on a docket. That’s several related pieces of legislation. We should prepare one or more bills and resolutions, since the fun part appears to be introducing the legislation and making an authorship speech. However, there is also a sponsorship speech, and opportunities for negative speeches and questions.

The rules are laid out in the packet, and no one will be perfect with them on October 20th. The really important ones deal with proposing bills and resolutions, and the difference between the two. We should do that this week or they won’t be used until later in the debate season (after the third of six regular season Congresses). I have the form that’s required.

Evidence is challenged more often than in other debate formats; Public Forum, for example. You can’t just make stuff up. The parliamentarian’s role is more interactive than a Public Forum judge’s. Parliamentarians are supposed to challenge your facts if they’re doubtful. Co- operate and don’t take it personally, or you’ll lose.

Step One: Read the Congressional Debate packet from the National Forensic League. Step Two: Read our league by-laws and Mr. M’s comments which follow them. Step Three: Write a piece of legislation, even if you’re sure it won’t be used. It’s required to be under a page, so write about what interests you, following their format carefully. So easy even a baby can do it! (Well, a gifted baby, anyway…)

Step Four: When the docket is announced, if the coach says you are (or might be) competing in Congress, research answers to all the questions on the docket. Whether it’s debating ways to save the dolphin population in the Gulf of Mexico, or if the promised withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan starting in July should occur, you will learn a lot. The key is to formulate something to say, and to say it dramatically and eloquently. That’s why I call it a hybrid of Speech and Debate.

On October 13th, they’re going to explain this more at the workshop, which is why going to that one is so important. I hope some of you are brave enough to participate the next week at workshop #2 (first Congress).