STUDENT CONGRESS ("Congress" - State/National): In Student Congress, students
pretend to be Senators or Representatives who take turns discussing "bills" or
"resolutions" (proposed laws and policies) using parliamentary procedure. The
proposals are given out in advance of the tournament, and students are expected to
research them and arrive prepared to speak and ask questions. The session is presided
over by a student known as the Presiding Officer (P.O.), who calls on the speakers and
conducts a vote on each bill after it has been discussed. A session lasts from 90 min. to 2
hours. Each speech is limited to 3 minutes and is followed by one minute of cross-
examination from the other contestants. A student may speak up to 3 or 4 times during a
session. Notes are allowed, but the most successful students speak without them.