GREATER KANSAS CITY SUBURBAN CONFERENCE STUDENT CONGRESS LEGISLATION FALL 2016 TABLE OF CONTENTS

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1 GREATER KANSAS CITY SUBURBAN CONFERENCE STUDENT CONGRESS LEGISLATION FALL 2016 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. No-Fly List & Firearms 2. Eisenhower Doctrine 3. Plant-Based Alternatives in Public School Cafeterias 4. Production of Pennies 5. Electoral College 6. Voting Eligibility Test 7. High-Fructose Corn Syrup 8. Fossil Fuel Subsidies 9. Housing for Homeless 10. Medical Price Gouging 11. Cigarette Excise Tax 12. Prison Reform

2 1 A Bill to Prevent Those on the No-Fly List from Purchasing Firearms and Explosives 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THIS CONGRESS THAT: 2. SECTION 1: All individuals on the No-Fly list will be banned from purchasing firearms 3. and explosives. 4. SECTION 2: The No-Fly list being the list that is run by the Terrorist Screening Center 5. (TSC) and the TSA that keeps track of those not let on airplanes. 6. SECTION 3: The Terrorist Screening Center will oversee and maintain this list. 7. A. The TSC will be required to regularly update the list. 8. SECTION 4: This bill will be implemented upon passing. 9. SECTION 5: All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void.

3 2 A Resolution to Resume and Extend the Eisenhower Doctrine and Containment Policy for Terrorist Threats 1. WHEREAS, The Eisenhower Doctrine promised military aid to Middle Eastern 2. countries facing communist threats; and 3. WHEREAS, Kennan s policy of containment succeeded in creating change in nations 4. similar to those currently affected by terrorist threats; and 5. WHEREAS, Another major threat has arisen in a similar fashion as the Communist 6. Party; and 7. WHEREAS, The Eisenhower Doctrine specifically brought aid to many struggling 8. nations politically and helped Syria, Egypt, and the Suez Crisis; and 9. WHEREAS, These terrorist threats are often hidden and deeply ingrained in nations 10. similar to the Communist parties in the formerly affected areas; and 11. WHEREAS, Increasingly, nations sponsor terrorism especially in the Middle East, such 12. as the nations of Iraq, Syria, Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan; now, 13. therefore, be it 14. RESOLVED, That the Congress here assembled that the United States federal 15. government will resume the Eisenhower Doctrine and Containment Policy 16. against terrorist threats specifically in the Middle East. The Eisenhower Doctrine, Milestones: N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Aug A Conversation with Kennan s Biographer. The Economist. The Economist Newspaper, 28 Nov Web. 25 Aug

4 3 A Bill to Require Plant-Based Alternatives in Public School Cafeterias 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT: 2. SECTION 1. Schools will provide plant-based alternatives for meat, dairy, and egg 3. based products sold in cafeterias. 4. SECTION 2. Plant-based alternatives will be defined as options that fulfill the dietary 5. guidelines of the United States Department of Agriculture while 6. containing no animal products or byproducts. 7. SECTION 3. The majority of enforcement will be the responsibility of the United States 8. Department of Agriculture; through which they will require the 9. distribution of plant-based alternatives to public schools. 10. SECTION 4. The United States Department of Agriculture and public schools will have 11. one full year from the date of this bill s passing to see through its 12. enforcement. 13. SECTION 5. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void. Dietary Guidelines. Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion. United States Department of Agriculture, Web. 26 Aug Final Rule: Nutrition Standards for All Foods Sold in School as Required by the HHFKA of Food and Nutrition Service. United States Department of Agriculture, 12 Aug Web. 26 Aug

5 4 A Resolution to Halt the Production of Pennies in the United States 1. WHEREAS, Pennies cost, on average, 1.7 cents per penny to produce 1 ; and 2. WHEREAS, In 2013, taxpayers lost $105 million annually on the cost of production of 3. pennies and nickels 2 ; and 4. WHEREAS, A currency that costs more to produce than it is worth is illogical and 5. inefficient; and 6. WHEREAS, There is no cheaper alternative to produce pennies; therefore be it 7. RESOLVED, That the Congress here assembled halt the production of pennies and 8. gradually phase them out of circulation; and, be it 9. FURTHER RESOLVED, That purchases now round up or down to the nearest nickel. 1 Prices, Thanks to Rising Metal. Changing U.S. Coins Could Save Millions, but May Cost Businesses Billions. CNNMoney. Cable News Network, 11 Jan Web. 23 Aug Ingraham, Christopher. It Cost 1.7 Cents to Make a Penny This Year, and 8 Cents to Make a Nickel. Washington Post. The Washington Post, 15 Dec Web. 23 Aug

6 5 A Resolution to Abolish the Electoral College 1. WHEREAS, The Electoral College has changed the outcome of the national vote in 2. favor of the candidate with less supporters 1 ; and 3. WHEREAS, The Electoral College enforces the two-party system, and deflates the 4. strength of minor parties and inflates the margin of the winning party 2 ; and 5. WHEREAS, California holds 55 electoral votes, 20% of the number needed to win the 6. presidency, whereas states such as Wyoming hold significantly less 7. power 3 ; and 8. WHEREAS, A national popular vote supports true democracy; and 9. WHEREAS, The Electoral College shuts out the voting in many states in favor of so- 10. called battleground states, where there is the possibility of an upset 4 ; 11. now, therefore, be it 12. RESOLVED, That the Congress here assembled abolish the Electoral College in favor of 13. a national popular vote OFFICIAL PRESIDENTIAL GENERAL ELECTION RESULTS. Federal Election Commission. State Elections Offices, Dec Web. 2 Berns, Walter. Third Party Candidates Face a High Hurdle in the Electoral College. American Enterprise Institute, 1 Jan Web. 3 Skelton, George. Winner-take-all Electoral System Is a Loser for Democracy. Capitol Journal. LA Times, 21 Jan Web. 4 Billups, Andrea. Nebraska May Adopt a Winner-Takes-All Electoral College. NewsMax, 2 Feb Web.

7 6 A Resolution to Establish a Test Regarding an Individual s Eligibility to Vote 1. WHEREAS, The quality of voters is decreasing in the United States; and 2. WHEREAS, Most voters are simply unaware or uninformed as to how the government 3. works in the United States 1 ; and 4. WHEREAS, A little more than 50% of Americans cannot name candidates for 5. presidency 2 ; and 6. WHEREAS, Many people are making uninformed decisions 3 ; and 7. WHEREAS, Many people have a poor understanding of the way government works 4 ; 8. and 9. WHEREAS, These uninformed decisions are responsible for the inadequacy of current 10. elected officials 5 ; therefore, be it 11. RESOLVED, By the Congress here assembled that the Federal government create and 12. enforce a test deciding who can vote; and be it 13. FURTHER RESOLVED, To be eligible to vote, individuals must have a score of 70% or 14. better in order to vote. 1 Gentile, Sal. Are Bad Voters Like Drunk Drivers? New Book Says They Are, and That They Should Stay Home on Election Day. PBS. PBS, 15 Apr Web. 31 Aug 2015 < 2 Shea, Christopher. Is Voter Ignorance Killing Democracy? Salon.com RSS. N.p., 22 Nov Web. 31 Aug < 3 Jones, Douglas W. Problems with Voting Systems and the Applicable Standards. Problems with Voting System Standards. University of Iowa, 22 May Web. 02 Sept < 4 Walker, Hunter. A Shocking Number of Americans Don t Know Basic Facts About the US Government. Business Insider. Business Insider, Inc, 19 Sept Web. 08 Sept < -manyamericans-dont-know-basic-facts-about-government > 5 Cafferty, Jack. CNN. N.p., 12 Apr Web. <

8 7 A Resolution to Ban High-Fructose Corn Syrup From America s Food & Medicine Supply 1. WHEREAS, High-Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) has overtaken the use of cane sugar to 2. sweeten commercially produced foods, beverages, and medicines; and 3. WHEREAS, HFCS is used by companies to save money at the cost of America s 4. health; and 5. WHEREAS, In particular, scientific studies show a more profound link to diabetes and 6. heart disease; and 7. WHEREAS, Females may be at even greater risk for the health and shorter life-span 8. effects attributed to HFCS; now, therefore, be it 9. RESOLVED, That the congress here assembled recommend that the Food and Drug 10. Administration move to ban HFCS from foods and medicines produced 11. both domestically and imported from abroad

9 8 A Bill to Repeal Fossil Fuel Subsidies to Spur Green Energy Growth 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT: 2. SECTION 1. All of the $17.2 billion subsidies given to fossil fuel companies annually 3. by the federal government will be retracted. 4. SECTION 2. The money will be, instead, put toward the funding of green energy 5. subsidies, to spur innovation and development in renewable energy 6. technologies. The money may be used to create new programs or to 7. bolster existing ones. 8. SECTION 3. The Department of Energy will administer the implementation of this bill. 9. SECTION 4. This bill will take effect upon the next fiscal year October 1, SECTION 5. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void.

10 9 A Resolution to Provide Housing for the Homeless 1. WHEREAS, 564,708 United States citizens are homeless and can t afford housing; and 2. WHEREAS, New trends of affordable, small housing options are becoming prominent; 3. and 4. WHEREAS, Communities of small homes for all homeless could be constructed for 5. approximately $1.9 billion, provided there are three persons to a home; 6. and 7. WHEREAS, This is only.05% of the United States federal budget; now, therefore be it 8. RESOLVED, By the Congress here assembled that the United States federal government 9. ought to provide grants to local governments to build communities of 10. small houses for the population that is homeless.

11 10 A Resolution to Protect American Consumers from Medical Price Gouging 1. WHEREAS, [In] 2001 [insulin] had the wholesale price of $45. By last year, the cost 2. had skyrocketed to $1,447 for the same monthly supply 1 ; and 3. WHEREAS, [The] cost of the EpiPen in the U.S. has risen from $100 to more than 4. $600, according to medical literature and multiple pharmacies. In Canada, 5. the cost for a single EpiPen is around $100 to $145 2 ; and 6. WHEREAS, In order to protect our constituents, we ought to end the economic 7. exploitation of those who require medical care; and 8. WHEREAS, It is unjust to charge exhorbitant prices for life-saving medication, 9. especially medication that needs to be taken for chronic conditions; now, 10. therefore be it 11. RESOLVED, By the Congress here assembled that the Food and Drug Administration 12. (FDA) negotiate prices with pharmaceutical companies for medically 13. necessary treatments on an annual basis. 1 Schneider, Andrew. Insulin Price Spike Leaves Diabetes Patients in Crisis. Montana Standard. The Montana Standard, 27 Aug Web. 01 Sept < -price-spike-leavesdiabetes-patients-in-crisis/article_74cd6b23-7d9d-5f36-9df0-9c72c5de9f1a.html>. 2 Mohney, Gillian. EpiPen Price Hike Prompts Some US Families to Buy the Drug in Canada. ABC News. ABC News Network, 31 Aug Web. 01 Sept <

12 11 A Bill to Repeal the Federal Cigarette Excise Tax 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT: 2. SECTION 1: The federal cigarette excise tax of $1.01 per pack is hereby repealed. 3. SECTION 2: States and municipalities are still free to impose tobacco taxes at their 4. discretion. 5. SECTION 3: The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) in the United 6. States Department of the Treasury will oversee the enforcement of this 7. repeal. 8. SECTION 4: This shall take effect immediately upon passage. 9. SECTION 5: All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void.

13 12 A Resolution to Reform Federal and State Prisons 1 WHEREAS, Federal and State prisons don t adequately rehabilitate criminals; and 2 WHEREAS, Criminals in the United States are unable to successfully reenter society 12 ; 3 and 4 WHEREAS, Rehabilitation refers to teaching a criminal to live a healthy life and 5 bringing them back to a stable state of being; and 6 WHEREAS, 45% of Americans who had been to prison had a job eight months after 7 being released 3 ; and 8 WHEREAS, Restorative justice has proven to be effective in lowering incarceration and 9 recidivism rates; and 10 WHEREAS, The incarceration rate in the United States is 716 of every 100, citizens; and 12 WHEREAS, Norway has an incarceration rate of 75 of every 100,000 4 ; and 13 WHEREAS, Norway has one of the lowest recidivism rates in the world at 20%. The 14 US has one of the highest: 76.6% of prisoners are rearrested within five 15 years 5 ; now, therefore be it 16 RESOLVED, By the Congress here assembled that the United States will reform federal 17 and state prisons to rehabilitate criminals and model Norway s prison 18 system of restorative justice; and be it 19 FURTHER RESOLVED, That prisoners will be given health care, mental treatment and 20 therapy upon need and demonstrated necessity. 1 Carson, E. Ann, and William J. Sobel. Prisoners in BJS Bulletin, December NCJ Maruschak, Laura M., and Erika Parks. Probation and Parole in the United States, BJS Bulletin, November NCJ Taube, Aaron. Here s What It s Like For People Trying To Find A Job After They re Released From Prison. Business Insider. Business Insider, Inc, 10 Oct Web. 31 Aug < 4 Erbentraut, Joseph. What The U.S. Can Learn From Prison Reform Efforts Throughout The World. The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 10 Apr Web. 24 Aug Sterbenz, Christina. Why Norway s Prison System Is So Successful. Business Insider. Business Insider, Inc, 11 Dec Web. 31 Aug < >