A Resolution to Adopt the Alternative Vote System to Better Represent Voters Interests

Transcription

1 A Resolution to Adopt the Alternative Vote System to Better Represent Voters Interests 0 0 WHEREAS, The current First-Past-The-Post voting system creates the Spoiler Effect wherein third party candidates become unviable; and WHEREAS, This is prevalent in almost every elected public office election; and WHEREAS, People are often forced to vote for the lesser of two evils rather than the candidate which represents them the best; and WHEREAS, This undermines democratic values and government competency; and WHEREAS, The Alternative Vote System is a vote-processing methodology in which voters rank candidates in order of preference; and WHEREAS, Voters reserve the right to abstain from ranking any number of people; and WHEREAS, After ballots are recorded, the candidate with the lowest number of first choice votes is knocked out; and WHEREAS, Those who have voted for a knocked out candidate will have their vote go to their next ranked pick; and WHEREAS, Rounds will continue in this fashion until one candidate remains; and WHEREAS, All elections will adopt this methodology; and WHEREAS, States will reserve the right to determine how many candidates (to be greater than two) appear on a ballot; now, therefore be it RESOLVED, That the UIL Congress here assembled institute the Alternative Vote System in our elections. Introduced for UIL Congressional Debate by Princeton High School.

2 A Bill to Combat Animal Abandonment in the United States 0 SECTION. SECTION. SECTION. All pets adopted within the United States will be required to be microchipped and registered to a single, specific owner. Pet adoption centers will be tasked with creating and maintaining a detailed log of all adopted pets and the status of their owners. A. This log will contain information such as the current address, name, and phone number of adopted pet owners. The microchip will track the location of a pet. B. Owners found to have dumped their dogs will face fines to be decided at the discretion of the Justice Department. The U.S. Humane Society will be responsible for allocating funds to, and overseeing the implementation of, this bill in pet adoption centers in the United States. A. Each adoption agency will be given $ million, to be used for the creation and implementation of a new data-logging system for pets and owners. B. The Department of Justice will be responsible for enforcement. SECTION. This bill will go into effect in January 0. SECTION. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void. Introduced for UIL Congressional Debate by Princeton High School.

3 A Bill to Legalize Assisted Suicide in Public Hospitals 0 SECTION. SECTION. SECTION. Public hospitals will be certified to administer physician-assisted suicide. Public hospitals include any healthcare institution owned by a federal, state, or local government. A physician is one educated, clinically experienced, and licensed to practice medicine. Finally, assisted suicide is the suicide of a patient suffering from an incurable disease, affected by the taking of lethal drugs provided by a physician for this purpose. A medical panel at each hospital, overseen by the FDA, will examine each patient s treatment history to establish whether other options have been explored and/or attempted and determine whether suicide is the patient s final recourse for a dignified death. A. If such a procedure is approved by the panel, Medical practitioners who medically assist in death will be exempt from the offences of culpable suicide. SECTION. This law shall take effect on January, 0. SECTION. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void. Introduced for UIL Congressional Debate by Celina High School.

4 A Resolution to Increase Commercial Recycling 0 WHEREAS, Commercial sectors generate three-fourths of waste in many states; and WHEREAS, Landfills are not eco-friendly solutions to this waste, and the trash placed there takes centuries to degrade; and WHEREAS, Recycling is the most logical solution for this problem, as incinerating garbage generates smoke and damages the ozone layer; and WHEREAS, Recycling is cost effective as resources are being reused and new products are not being made to replace the disposed of items; and WHEREAS, Past commercial recycling incentives have not been enough to solve the current problem; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the UIL Congress here assembled make the following recommendation to increase commercial business recycling of resources to protect the environment. Introduced for UIL Congressional Debate by Lone Oak High School.

5 A Bill to Nationalize the Driving Age SECTION. SECTION. SECTION. The driving age will be determined at the federal level. The driving age includes the age at which a citizen may obtain a learner s permit, a hardship license, a restricted license, and a full license. The United States Department of Transportation will establish and enforce the appropriate age to obtain these licenses. SECTION. The law will be enacted June 0 of 0. SECTION. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void. Introduced for UIL Congressional Debate by Celina High School.

6 A Bill to Change the Wording in the Every Student Succeeds Act of 0 to Include All Courses Considered Arts Education Equally 0 0 SECTION. In order to fully equalize funding opportunities for all arts programs, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 0 will be amended to include wording that mentions all arts equally. In section 0 (), (I), (i), () and all subsequent inclusions of the wording programs in music and the arts, the wording will be changed to read programs in the arts including music, visual art, theatre, dance and media arts. SECTION. Because this means the arts will be included in everything from Title I funding to state accountability reports, which are required to demonstrate how states are providing a "well-rounded" education and because the new law also clarifies that arts teachers are eligible for professional development funds from Title II of the law, a definition of the arts is necessary to equalize the opportunities for all art programs. SECTION. The current wording in the ESSA gives educational entities and funding programs the opportunity to include or exclude any art with the exception of music. A) "The arts" is a term used to refer to five general disciplines: music, visual art, theater, dance, and media arts. B) Without the delineation of that definition, some art programs are more likely to get funded than others. SECTION. This change in wording to the ESSA of 0 will go into effect immediately upon passage of this bill. SECTION. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void. Introduced for UIL Congressional Debate by Whitesboro High School.

7 A Bill to Eliminate the Age Limitations Set Forth by US Code in Human Trafficking Cases 0 SECTION. SECTION. SECTION. SECTION. The age limitations of victims set forth in federal criminal law US Code shall be eliminated. US Code current states that conviction and punishment will be handed down if the victim had attained the age of years but had not attained the age of years at the time of the offense. As sex and human trafficking are defined as the trade of humans, most commonly for the purpose of sexual slavery, forced labor, or commercial sexual exploitation for the trafficker or others, no age limits should be set to only encompass minors especially as human traffickers target women who are or just about to turn because they are aware that the law protects them at that point. Wording that limits the age range to that of minor-aged victims in US Code will be eliminated immediately upon passage of this legislation. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void. Introduced for UIL Congressional Debate by Whitesboro High School.

8 A Resolution to Redefine the Internal Revenue Service s Definition of Real Estate to Cease Corporate Tax Evasion 0 WHEREAS, The current form of the Internal Revenue Service s (IRS) definition of Real Estate is too broad and allows corporations to evade corporate taxes; and WHEREAS, Private prisons, casinos, data storage companies, telecommunications companies and others are allowed to convert into real estate investment trusts and avoid paying corporate tax; and WHEREAS, Tax evasion like this has created the situation where most companies are only paying a.% tax rate or less while the average American worker is paying.%; and WHEREAS, This real estate tax loophole has also decreased the percentage that corporate tax has been funding the federal government, from % in to 0.% in 0; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the UIL Congress here assembled redefine the IRS definition of real estate to make it less broad. Introduced for UIL Congressional Debate by Mabank High School.

9 A Bill to Decriminalize Marijuana 0 SECTION. SECTION. SECTION. The U.S. government will decriminalize the possession, consumption, and sale of marijuana in small quantities for recreational and pharmaceutical purposes. Decriminalization shall be defined as the removal of criminal penalties. Pharmaceutical purposes shall be defined as any use of marijuana to relieve physical or mental afflictions. Personal possession of marijuana is not to exceed grams. A person found in possession of any larger amount shall be considered in possession with the intent to sell and will be considered in possession with the intent to distribute and will be subject to penalties. Congress shall pass this bill into law and law enforcement and our court systems shall uphold and enforce this law. SECTION. This law will take effect on January, 0. SECTION. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void. Introduced for UIL Congressional Debate by Pottsboro High School.

10 A Resolution to Encourage Businesses to Increase Minimum Wage for College Students 0 WHEREAS, College Students are accumulating more debt, which they cannot pay off while in school; and WHEREAS, The only way they can begin to pay off loans while in school is to work more hours than ideal, causing many students to drop out of college; and WHEREAS, More uneducated people in the workforce creates a cycle of poverty and less chances for workers to gain income larger than minimum wage; and WHEREAS, College students need a larger wage to further themselves in their careers and lives while also living comfortably; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the UIL Congress here assembled make the following recommendation for businesses to increase minimum wage for students in college. Introduced for UIL Congressional Debate by Lone Oak High School.

11 A Bill to Require Citizens to Perform National Service 0 0 SECTION. The Congress of the United States will pass legislation that puts in place mandatory national service for all U.S. citizens. SECTION. Service consists of many options including but not limited to participation in the military, work as a first responder, the Peace Corps, Teach for America, AmeriCorps, etc. All citizens shall serve unless deemed physically or physiologically unable. SECTION. The Congress will pass a bill that mandates national service of all U.S. citizens. Upon graduation of high school, turning nineteen, or graduation of college/trade school people must serve two years of service in their choice of civic responsibility. A. In order to keep track of who is in compliance, parents are responsible for their child s registration at birth. The registration will need to be completed before any enrollment in academic programs or applications for social security accounts. B. If the person drops out before finishing high school, the individual will be expected to serve a minimum of two years upon their nineteenth birthday. If an individual finishes high school without intentions of going to college or a trade school, then they must serve a minimum of two years upon graduation of high school. If the person enrolls and attends college, they will begin their two years of service after college completion. Section. This bill will go into action immediately and will apply to all babies born beginning January, 0. SECTION. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void. Introduced for UIL Congressional Debate by Pottsboro High School.

12 A Bill to Change the Presidential Election Ballot to Mandate a None of the Above Choice with Directives to Elect New Nominees for the President of the United States SECTION. Every ballot issued for the national election of President have a final choice of None of the Above for the voters to choose if they feel none of the candidates for President of the United States chosen by any party delegates is a viable option to serve in the office of the President. SECTION. This mandate will allow the voters that truly believe no candidate on the ballot is capable of carrying out the duties of the executive office of the government of the United State of America to force a new election of candidates from all parties for a secondary election. If over 0% of the American people vote on national election day for none of the above, all candidates (presidential and vice presidential) on the original election ballot then become ineligible for office of President. All parties or other interested independent entities will be given 0 days to nominate final candidates. After the 0 days have expired, the new nominees will be given 0 days to campaign and a new national election will take place. A final election for President will then take place without the none of the above option. The newly elected President will take office on June st following the secondary election. The President holding office at the time of the original November election date will remain in office until January st of the following year and will be replaced immediately on that date by the congressman holding the office of Speaker of the House on the date of the original election. If for some reason, the Speaker of the House is not able to fulfill the duties, the office of President will be filled according to the line of succession set out by the Constitution of the United States of America. SECTION. Each state will be responsible for the running a secondary election in the same exact manner as they ran the original election per the wide directives given by the Constitution of the United States. A. The Electoral College votes will not be used in the secondary election. B. The winner of the secondary election will be declared based upon the majority of the votes cast by the citizens of the United States. C. All citizens maintain the right to vote in both elections. SECTION. This bill will go into effect for the 00 Presidential Election Cycle. SECTION. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void. Introduced for UIL Congressional Debate by Whitesboro High School.

13 A Bill to Amend the Orphan Drug Act to Include Life-Sustaining Medications 0 SECTION. SECTION. SECTION. SECTION. SECTION. Currently the Orphan Drug Act (ODA) incentivizes pharmaceutical companies to keep the costs of certain medications low by decreasing the overall cost for bringing a new drug to market. However, these policies only cover medications that are meant for patients affected by rare conditions, such as: Huntington s Disease, ALS, and muscular dystrophy. Rare Condition, in this context affects less than 00,000 people nationwide in the United States. Schedule VII Drugs are classified as life sustaining or death prolonging therapeutic drugs. This bill calls to amend ODA to include medications that would sustain or improve the quality of life for patients who require the following medications: HIV/AIDS medication and Schedule VII drugs. A. The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) will oversee the implementation and enforcement of this new law. Implementation will begin at the start at the beginning of the 0 Fiscal Year October st 0. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void. Introduced for UIL Congressional Debate by Princeton High School.

14 A Bill to Ban Political Action Committees from Donating Untraceable Funds SECTION. SECTION. SECTION. Presidential candidates are not allowed to receive untraceable monetary donations from major Political Action Committees (PACs). PACs include any organization that raises money privately to influence elections or legislation. The Federal Election Committee will oversee the enforcement. SECTION. The bill will be implemented January st, 0 SECTION. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void. Introduced for UIL Congressional Debate by Lone Oak High School.

15 A Bill to Restrict Probation for Felonious Criminals 0 SECTION. SECTION. SECTION. Individuals charged with felony crimes cannot be released on probation for good behavior. Felonies include serious crimes that state and federal governments have deemed more impactful to public safety, whereas good behavior includes following all prison rules and active engagement in prison life. The Federal Bureau of Prisons will oversee the enforcement of this bill, ensuring the elimination of parole boards. A. Behaving well does not sufficiently demonstrate a change in character or true remorse, but rather an understanding of the benefits of complying for one s own benefit. B. Prisoners themselves apply for parole, and is then approved or denied by an appointed board of officials. As convicted felons have previously demonstrated an inability to obey state and federal laws, they should consequently be unable to determine when they are fit to return to society. SECTION. This law will be enacted on June 0, 0. SECTION. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void. Introduced for UIL Congressional Debate by Celina High School.

16 A Bill to Relieve Puerto Rican Debt 0 SECTION. SECTION. SECTION. The free and independent state of Puerto Rico associated with the United States of America will house Syrian Refugees in exchange for the assumption of their debt by the United States. Syrian Refugees are anyone from the Syrian Arab Republic forced from their home during armed conflict. Assumption of debt will be % of Puerto Rican debt each year that the Puerto Rican Government has an intake of 0% of the overall Syrian refugees. All Syrian refugees will be placed on a no-travel list except for in the vicinity around Puerto Rico. The Coast Guard will increase patrolling around the southern border of the United States. The United States Department of State will oversee the process and incorporate the Department of Homeland Security to patrol the vicinity around Puerto Rico and monitor the moving of the refugees. SECTION. This will take place on the January, 0. SECTION. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void. Introduced for UIL Congressional Debate by Pottsboro High School

17 A Bill to Adjust the Minimum Sentence for Sexual Assault SECTION. SECTION. SECTION. The minimum sentence for all sexual assault convictions would be increased to fifteen years. The possibility of parole would be removed until the convicted had served at least the minimum sentence. Sexual assault envelops all offenses such as child molestation, rape, sexual harassment, threats of any such behavior, and all instances of forced or coerced sexual contact or behavior without consent. The Federal Judiciary shall uphold this bill. SECTION. Implementation of this bill shall be executed January, 0. 0 SECTION. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void. Introduced for UIL Congressional Debate by Lone Oak High School.

18 A Resolution to Amend the Constitution to Give Term Limits to Supreme Court Justices 0 RESOLVED, SECTION : By two-thirds of the UIL Congress here assembled, that the following article is proposed as an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which shall be valid to all intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several states within seven years from the date of its submission by the Congress: ARTICLE III Article III declares that the judges, both of the supreme and inferior courts, shall hold their offices during good behavior The proposed amendment would read as follows: the judges, both of the supreme and inferior courts, shall hold their offices for an eighteen-year, staggered term limit. SECTION : A. The terms would be established so that a vacancy on the Court would occur every two years at the beginning of the summer recess in every odd- numbered year. B. These terms would be structured so the turnover of justices would occur during the first and third year of a President s four-year term. The UIL Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation. Introduced for UIL Congressional Debate by Whitesboro High School.

19 A Resolution to Stop the Dakota Access Pipeline Project 0 WHEREAS, Tribal lands continue to be damaged by toxic waste; and WHEREAS, The sovereignty and rights of indigenous people has been slowly diminished; and WHEREAS, The cultural and physical health of indigenous people is being negatively and irreversibly impacted; and WHEREAS, This practice of eminent domain violates previously established treaties and laws protecting tribal lands; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the UIL Congress here assembled make the following recommendation for stopping development on the Dakota Access Pipeline Project. Introduced for UIL Congressional Debate by Celina High School.

20 A Resolution to Reform the Transportation Security Administration 0 WHEREAS, The current state of the Transportation Security Administration is notorious for being inefficient; and WHEREAS, The current security measures taken by the Transportation Security Administration have been proven ineffective at neutralizing potential threats; and WHEREAS, The current state of the Transportation Security Administration leaves travelers from across the world open to potential security risks; and WHEREAS, We cannot allow potential security threats to proliferate; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the UIL Congress here assembled make significant reforms to the current state of the Transportation Security Administration. Introduced for UIL Congressional Debate by Pottsboro High School.

21 A Resolution to Standardize the American Voting System 0 WHEREAS, A lack of clarity and uniformity in the American political process has caused the disenfranchisement and dissatisfaction of many voters; and WHEREAS, A more universal system would allow American voters to better understand their place in our democratic system; and WHEREAS, A common voting process in each kind of election (i.e. federal, state, and local), could serve to bring simplicity and fairness back to the electoral process in the United States; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the UIL Congress here assembled recommend the creation of a more uniform and simplistic voting process in the United States; and, be it FURTHER RESOLVED, That this congress work towards the creation of a more wellknown and understood system for early and absentee voting. Introduced for UIL Congressional Debate by Princeton High School.