THE PENNSYLVANIA HIGH SCHOOL SPEECH LEAGUE Susquehanna University 514 University Avenue Selinsgrove, PA 17870-1164 Tel: (570) 372-4300 Fax: (570) 372-2757 2016 STATE HOUSE 1. Committee Education Affairs a. A Resolution to Create a Presidential Youth Council by Hampton High School b. A Bill to Require Post-Secondary National Service in Order to Promote Civic Values and the Greater Good by Hempfield Area High School c. A Resolution to Decrease Homework for High School Students by West Allegheny High School d. A Bill to Install Carbon Monoxide Detectors in Dormitories by Fox Chapel Area High School e. Afterschool Havens by Delone Catholic High School 2. Committee on Government Affiars a. A Bill to Construct an Artificial Island in the Spratly Islands to Strengthen US Influence in the Region by Unionville High School b. A Bill to Cease Federal Funding for Charter Schools by William Tennent High School c. A Resolution to Deport Visa Overstays by Quigley Catholic High School d. Amending the XXII Amendment by Gwynedd Mercy Academy e. A Bill to Increase Immigration to the US In order to Promote Economic Growth by Abington Heights 3. Committee on Science, Space, and Technology a. A Resolution Revive the Apollo Moon Program by Fairview High School b. A Resolution to Require Cell Phones and Hand Held Devices Distributed in America to Automatically Switch to Hands Free Operation when it Detects that a Vehicle is in Motion by Greensburg Salem High School c. A Resolution to Allow Voters to Cast Ballots Online by Moon Area High School d. A Bill to Increase Funding for NASA by The Kiski School e. A Bill for the Colonization of Space by Danville Area High School 4. Agricultural Committee a. A Bill to Impose a Carbon Tax to Confront Climate Change by Bishop Shanahan High School
b. A Resolution to Offer Incetives such as Tax Breaks to Businesses that Provide Food in Areas that The United States Department of Agriculture Classifies as Food Deserts by Sewickley Academy c. A Resolution to Safely Reintroduce the Wolf Population in Pennsylvania by Knoch High School d. A Bill to Increase Research and Development of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles that Fight Deforestation by William Allen High School
A Resolution to Create a Presidential Youth Council by Hampton High School 1. WHEREAS: Current legislature and executive branch members have limited understanding of 2. young Americans perspectives. 3. WHEREAS: Young people aged 16-24 currently do not possess significant means of voicing 4. their opinions to members of the U.S. government. 5. WHEREAS: Active participation in the lawmaking process will inspire new and creative ways 6. of approaching critical issues in the U.S. government. 7. WHEREAS: A 24-member bipartisan youth council would encourage young Americans to 8. become involved in the advancement of the democratic process. 9. WHEREAS: Many organizations already have youth councils in place to encourage political 10. activism and advocacy. 11. THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE STUDENT CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED 12. that a bipartisan Presidential Youth Council will be organized in the U.S. to encourage young 13. people to become involved, informed, and engaged stakeholders in the governing process.
A Bill to Require Post-Secondary National Service in order to Promote Civic Values and the Greater Good 1 BE IT ENACTED BY THE CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT: 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 SECTION 1. SECTION 2. SECTION 3. SECTION 4. SECTION 5. The United States government shall require all U.S. Citizens to complete a period of eighteen (18) months of Mandatory National Service upon completion of high school, or have reached the age of eighteen and dropped out of school. Mandatory National Service will include service in the United States Armed Forces or AmeriCorps. The Federal Department of Education will administer this program. Implementation will occur immediately upon passage. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void. Introduced for Congressional Debate by Hempfield Area High School.
A RESOLUTION TO DECREASE HOMEWORK FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS 1 Whereas: Students in high school receive too much homework 2 Whereas: Spending hours at night finishing homework gets in the way of clubs and 3 activities 4 Whereas: according to the US news report students are typically assigned 17.5 hours of 5 homework each week 6 Whereas: Having so much homework causes students to stress and feel anxiety 7 Whereas: According to Professor Harris Cooper of Duke, students should only receive 8 approximately 2 hours of homework a night 9 Therefore, be it resolved by the PHSSLState Student Congress here assembled that: High 10 Schools should decrease the amount of homework that a student receives Respectfully submitted, West Allegheny High School
A Bill to Install Carbon Monoxide Detectors in Dormitories 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 BE IT ENACTED BY THE STUDENT CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT: SECTION 1. Every dormitory at each institution of higher education in the Commonwealth using a fossil-fuel burning heater or heating appliance must have an approved, operational carbon monoxide alarm installed within a 15-foot radius of the fossil fuel-burning heater and in every housing unit located on the same story as the fossil-fuel burning heater. SECTION 2. Dormitory shall be defined as a building containing one or more housing units owned or leased by an institution of higher education that is used as a residence by the students of the institution of higher education. Fossil fuel shall be defined as coal, kerosene, oil, wood, fuel gases and other petroleum or hydrocarbon products which emit carbon monoxide as a byproduct of combustion. Housing unit shall be defined as a room or suite that is occupied, leased for occupation or intended or designed to be occupied as a residence by the students of an institution of higher education. SECTION 3. The Department of Education will be responsible for overseeing, implementing, and enforcing this Bill. A. Institution of higher education shall include any university, college, technical college, or community college. B. Carbon monoxide alarm shall be defined as an alarm listed as complying with the approved American National Standard for Safety for Single and Multiple Station Carbon Monoxide Alarms or a carbon monoxide detector listed as complying with the approved American National Standard for Safety for Gas and Vapor Detectors and Sensors. C. The institution of higher education is responsible for the purchase and installation of the carbon monoxide alarm. D. The institution of higher education is responsible for providing the maintenance, repair or replacement of the carbon monoxide alarm. E. Failure to install or maintain in operating condition any approved carbon monoxide alarm required by this act is a summary offense punishable by a fine of up to $500 per alarm. SECTION 4. This Bill will be implemented on January 1st, 2017. SECTION 5. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void. Introduced for Congressional Debate by Fox Chapel Area High School
Afterschool Havens 1. BE IT ENACTED by the PHSSL State Student Congress here assembled that 2. Section 1: The Pennsylvania State Department of Education will set up free afterschool programs where older, higher-achieving students are able to tutor younger student s afterschool from 3-5. 3. Section 2: All schools must remain open until 5pm to accommodate afterschool tutoring. 4. Section 3: Student Tutors who are successful at tutoring and mentoring younger students will receive $1000 scholarships to state universities for every year they tutor. 5. Section 4: Free transportation will be provided for students staying afterhours 6. Section 5: Additional staff will be hired to monitor the afterschool programs, thus providing more jobs 7. Section 6: Transportation, scholarships, overhead program expenses and additional staff salaries will be funded by a 50% increase in truancy fines. 8. Section 7: This bill will be enacted for the 2011-2012 school year. Respectfully Submitted by, Delone Catholic High School
Unionville High School A Bill to Construct an Artificial Island in the Spratly Islands to Strengthen US Influence in the Region BE IT ENACTED BY THE STUDENT CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT: 1. SECTION 1. The United States shall hereby construct an artificial island, to be used as a 2. military base, in the Spratly Islands. 3. SECTION 2. An artificial island shall be defined an island that has been constructed by 4. people rather than natural means. It shall be created by expanding existing islets, 5. constructing on existing reefs, or amalgamating several natural islets into a bigger island. 6. A military base shall be defined as a facility directly owned and operated 7. by, or for, the military or one of its branches that shelters military equipment and/or 8. personnel, and facilitates training and operations. 9. SECTION 3. This bill shall be enforced by the Department of Defense. 10. SECTION A. The funding for this bill shall come from the Department of 11. Defense s budget for the fiscal year of this bill s implementation. 12. SECTION 4. This bill shall be effective 3 month after passage. 13. SECTION 5. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void. Respectfully Submitted, Unionville High School
A BILL TO CEASE FEDERAL FUNDING FOR CHARTER SCHOOLS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 BE IT ENACTED BY THE STUDENT CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT: SECTION 1. The United States shall close the U.S. Department of Education s Charter Schools Program. SECTION 2. The federal budget shall not appropriate any sum of money whatsoever to expand or otherwise financially support public charter schools in any jurisdiction with an existing public school system. SECTION 3. This will be overseen by the US Department of Education. SECTION 4. This bill shall take effect January 1, 2017. SECTION 5. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void. Respectfully submitted, William Tennent High School
A RESOLUTION TO DEPORT VISA OVERSTAYS 1 WHEREAS: In 2015 nearly 500,000 individuals came into the United States on 2 temporary visas, and 3 WHEREAS: Over 6 million individuals have entered the United States on legal, 4 temporary visas but have overstayed their visas, and 5 WHEREAS: many Americans believe these visa overstays pose a threat to the 6 security of the United States, therefore 7 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED that the United States 8 government deport all persons who have overstayed visas Respectfully Submitted Quigley Catholic High School
Amending the XXII Amendment 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 BE IT ENACTED BY THIS CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED: Section 1 of the Amendment XXII of the United States Constitution is amended to read as follows: No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than three times, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice. Respectfully Submitted by Gwynedd Mercy Academy
A Bill to Increase Immigration to the US in order to Promote Economic Growth BE IT ENACTED BY THE CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT: SECTION 1. The number of available lawful permanent resident cards for immigration will be increased by 10% of current US demographics. Foreign business owners and entrepreneurs that receive U.S. investment may move and grow their business in the U.S. SECTION 2. A. U.S. investment is defined as money or capital from a U.S. centered corporation to promote the foreigner s business. B. A U.S. centered corporation is defined as a corporation whose headquarters and more than 50% of its workforce reside in the U.S. C. US demographics will be defined as population data collected by private corporations and the US Census Bureau. SECTION 3. The Department of Homeland Security will oversee implementation, auditing employers believed to be hiring illegal aliens. A. Businesses found in violation will be ordered to cease and desist, and are subject to a fine not less than $15,000 and not more than $50,000 per infraction of current illegal alien employment laws. B. Magnitude of compensation will go by a case by case basis and will be decided by the courts. SECTION 4. This bill will begin implementation over the course of its inaction to the end of fiscal year 2017. SECTION 5. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void. Presented by Senator Patel from Abington Heights
A Resolution Revive the Apollo Moon Program 1. Whereas, The last Apollo moon mission, Apollo 17, left Earth in 1972, 2. Whereas, Ceasing to go to the moon would waste the resources that the United States 3. Spent to get there, 4. Whereas, China, an economic competitor, is currently sending rovers to explore the 5. Possibility of moon mining 6. Whereas, the geological community could still learn much from the our celestial 7. Neighbor, 8. Whereas, the Apollo missions incentivized technological development and stimulated the 9. Economy, 10. Resolved, That the Congress here assembled allocate resources to NASA for the purpose 11. Of conducting further explorations of the Moon by 2025. Respectfully Submitted, J.P. Jarecki Fairview High School PHSSL District One
Resolution to require cell phones and hand held devices distributed in America to automatically switch to hands free operation when it detects that a vehicle is in motion 1 WHEREAS, distracted driving accounts for 9 deaths each day in car 2 accidents 3 WHEREAS, manually texting while driving is a significant distraction while 4 driving 5 WHEREAS, the number of Americans texting and driving has risen in the 6 past ten years 7 WHEREAS, there are already federal bans prohibiting the use of cell 8 devices for federal and commercial drivers 9 WHEREAS, a hands free voice-activated program would deter drivers 10 from touching their phone during vehicle operation 11 WHEREAS, the technology exists for a handheld device to determine that 12 it is in an operated vehicle 13 RESOLVED, That the congress here assembled propose legislation requiring that manufacturers of American-owned cell phones and hand held devices shall make it standard that the device goes into a hands free mode or blue tooth mode whenever it detects it is in a moving vehicle. Greensburg Salem High School
A Resolution to allow voters to cast ballots online 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 WHEREAS, WHEREAS, WHEREAS, WHEREAS, RESOLVED, Voter turnout in presidential elections hovers around 50%; and Describe the scope of the problem cited in the first whereas clause (this clause needs to flow logically from the first) and the inherent need for a solution Voter turnout in non-presidential elections is routinely around 40%, numbers far too low to get an accurate assessment of public opinion; and It allows candidates to win office with numbers as low as 20% of registered voters supporting them; and Allowing online voting can significantly increase voter turnout; now, therefore, be it That the Congress here assembled make the following recommendation to institute online ballots alongside traditional voting methods. Introduced for Congressional Debate by _Moon Area High School.
A Bill to increase funding for NASA 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT: 2. Section 1: The NASA budget will increase by $15 billion each year for 5 years. 3. Section 2: After 5 years, the NASA budget will remain above $80 4. billion for ten years. 5. Section 3: A five year evaluation cycle has the ability to change the budget with a 6. a minimum budget of $80 billion. 7. Section 4: This money will come from the military budget which though this bills effects, 8. will be reduced by $15 billion annually 9. Section 5: The five year growth period will begin at the start of the 2017 fiscal year. 10. Section 6: All laws in conflict with this bill are hereby null and void. Submitted by The Kiski School
Bill for the Colonization of Space Submitted by: Danville Area High School BE IT ENACTED BY THE STUDENT CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT: Section 1 : The U.S. will administer a fund of five trillion dollars to the National Aeronautics and Space Association. (NASA) A. This fund will come partially from loans from other countries. B. Other funds will come from the ILC tourism program. (further explained in Section 4) Section 2 : NASA will be charged with the hiring and training of skilled scientists and engineers. A. These workers will research and develop advanced methods of space travel and human survivability in space. Section 3 : NASA will be charged with establishing a colony on the Moon. This colony will be called the Interstellar Lunar Colony. (ILC) A. The ILC will be capable to house and sustain humans for the action of research and observation of the Moon and space. B. The ILC will be armed with high powered missiles armed with nuclear warheads to strengthen U.S. National Security and to protect the ILC from both natural and international crises. C. The ILC will have security composed of groups of the U.S. armed forces. D. The ILC will provide a staging ground for further exploration of space. Section 4 : The ILC will have a separate tourism program. A. This program will be a source of revenue for the ILC and NASA. B. This program will allow private citizens to take a three month long excursion to the ILC, where the tourists will be able to tour the ILC under supervision of the ILC security. Section 5 : This bill will go into effect immediately following the passage of this bill. Section 6 : Any U.S. law or regulation in conflict with this bill is hereby declared null and void. Section 7 : Any international law or regulation in conflict with this bill will no longer be viewed as legitimate by the U.S.
A BILL TO IMPOSE A CARBON TAX TO CONFRONT CLIMATE CHANGE Introduced for Congressional Debate by Bishop Shanahan High School. 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT: 2. SECTION 1. A carbon tax of 15.56 2015 dollars per metric ton will be imposed on all powerplants. 3. SECTION 2. A carbon tax is defined as a tax levied by the federal government on entities based on the amount of carbon dioxide each entity produces. Powerplant is defined by 42 U.S.C. 8302 (a)(7). 4. SECTION 3. The United States Department of the Treasury and the Environmental Protection Agency will jointly administer the implementation of this bill. A. The United States Department of the Treasury will collect the carbon tax. B. The Environmental Protection Agency will implement a system of tracking the amount of carbon dioxide powerplants produce. C. Any other tasks are under the supervision of both the United States Department of the Treasury and the Environmental Protection Agency. 5. SECTION 4. This bill will be implemented on January 1st, 2017. 6. SECTION 5. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void.
A Resolution To Offer Incentives Such As Tax Breaks To Businesses That Provide Food In Areas That The United States Department Of Agriculture Classifies As Food Deserts 1 WHEREAS: The United States Department of Agriculture classifies food 2 deserts as urban neighborhoods and rural towns without ready access to 3 fresh, healthy, and affordable food. Instead of supermarkets and grocery 4 stores, these communities may have no food access or are served only by 5 fast food restaurants and convenience stores. 6 WHEREAS: The lack of access to healthy food by 23.5 million Americans in 7 these deserts perpetuates American diets based largely on processed, fast, 8 chemical laden, and unhealthy food that ultimately contribute to higher 9 levels of obesity and other diet-related diseases, such as diabetes and heart 10 disease that are both a detriment to the quality of an individual s life and 11 cause them to accumulate hefty medical bills. This causes increasingly 12 poor, obese, and overweight Americans to find themselves in a seemingly 13 never-ending cycle of harmful food and health problems and medical costs. 14 WHEREAS: Obesity is the second leading preventable cause of death in the 15 United States. 16 THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE STUDENT CONGRESS HERE 17 ASSEMBLED THAT in order to prevent the life-threatening disease of 18 obesity that disproportionately affects low-income Americans, to offer 19 incentives such as tax breaks to establishments that offer fresh, healthy, 20 and affordable grocery options. Respectfully submitted, Sewickley Academy
A Resolution to Safely Reintroduce the Wolf Population in Pennsylvania by Knoch High School 1. WHEREAS: The deer population has experienced exponential growth, with an estimated 30 2. million deer in the U.S. today and a breeding rate that has the potential to double every 3. two years. 4. WHEREAS: Deer have devastated agricultural yields, landscapes, and nurseries, totaling 5. nearly $248 million in damage in 2010 alone. 6. WHEREAS: Excess deer have led to a rise of deer ticks, a common spreader of lyme disease. 7. WHEREAS: White tailed deer in Pennsylvania have no natural predator to curb rising growth. 8. WHEREAS: The last wolf pack in Pennsylvania was killed by hunters in White Deer Valley 9. in 1879, and wolves only remained in the north of Wisconsin and Michigan. 10. WHEREAS: Several states have installed plans to reintroduce and manage the rebuilding of 11. the wolf population. 12. WHEREAS: There are multiple ranges in Pennsylvania that would be suitable to reintroduce 13. gray wolves. 14. WHEREAS: To control the population of deer, the Pennsylvania Game Commission is going 15. to extremes, such as the controversial deer cull Mt. Lebanon, PA. 16. THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE STUDENT CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED: 17. That wolves will safely be reintroduced into Pennsylvania to curb overpopulation of 18. white-tailed deer.
A Bill to increase research and development of unmanned aerial vehicles that fight deforestation BE IT ENACTED BY THE STUDENT CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT: SECTION 1. $2.5 billion will be allocated to fund the research and development of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) that are used for the process of reforestation. SECTION 2. A. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles are defined as an aircraft without a human pilot aboard and are controlled by an external source. B. UAVs will be used only for the use of planting seeds in areas of deforestation. SECTION 3. The Department of Agriculture Forest Service will oversee the implementation of this legislation. SECTION 4. SECTION 5. This bill shall go into effect immediately following passage. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void. Respectfully submitted, William Allen High School