Cal Congress Legislation 2009

2009 California Invitational 1

A Resolution to Dissolve OPEC

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WHEREAS, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) gives a scant few

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nations enormous power over a critical global commodity; and

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WHEREAS, this has created a dangerous volatility in the price of oil; and

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WHEREAS, this volatility has encouraged scurrilous investment and price-rigging practices that

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have significantly weakened the global economy; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, By the Student Congress here assembled that: the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) be immediately and permanently dissolved.

2009 California Invitational 1

A Bill to Limit the Sale of Drugs

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BE IT ENACTED BY THE STUDENT CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:

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SECTION 1. No individual may purchase drugs from a supplier that resides in a different state

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or nation without a prescription for said drug written by an appropriately licensed medical

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professional whose practice resides in the same state as the individual consumer.

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SECTION 2. “Appropriately licensed” is defined as someone who is licensed to practice

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medicine in the specific physiological area(s) that the drugs are designed to treat. The intent is

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that a drug purchased for treatment of a specific ailment (e.g. athlete’s foot) must be prescribed

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by a professional who is specifically licensed to treat said ailment (e.g. a podiatrist).

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SECTION 3. The Department of Commerce will enforce this bill through normal means. When

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appropriate, the Department of Health and Human Services will evaluate whether the prescriber

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of the drug has the appropriate medical license.

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SECTION 4. This bill shall take effect January 1, 2010.

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SECTION 5. All other laws (including state laws) that are in conflict with this new policy shall

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hereby be declared null and void.

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2009 California Invitational 1

A Resolution to Amend the Bowl Championship Series

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WHEREAS, The current Bowl Championship Series (BCS) discriminates against several

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football teams and even a number of conferences within Division IAA; and

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WHEREAS, The BCS system for selecting participants in post-season “bowl” games explicitly

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excludes over half of the existing conferences as well as most independent teams;

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and

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WHEREAS, This prevents several colleges and universities --- including public schools --- from

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having an opportunity to earn prize money and/or publicity that could enhance

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recruitment for their institution; now, therefore, be it

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RESOLVED, By the Student Congress here assembled that: all first-place teams from every

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Division IAA conference be guaranteed a chance to play in a BCS-sponsored

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“bowl” game with no game designated as a “national championship”; be it

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FURTHER RESOLVED, That revenue for these BCS games be distributed so that every participant and their respective conference is paid the same amount.

2009 California Invitational 1 2 3 4

A Resolution to Remove Russia from the CIS WHEREAS, Russian aggression towards its neighboring states – in terms of military invasion and harsh economic tactics – has increased in recent years; and WHEREAS, Such aggression clearly violates the principles of sovereign equality and

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economoic cooperation upon which the Commonwealth of Independent States

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was initially founded; and

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WHEREAS, These acts of aggression often limit the ability of these much smaller countries to conduct business and/or live in peace; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, By the Student Congress here assembled that: Russia should be removed from the Commonwealth of Independent States.

2009 California Invitational A Bill to Promote Drought-Resistant Crops

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BE IT ENACTED BY THE STUDENT CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:

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SECTION 1. Any corporation or organization that successfully develops and distributes seeds

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that produce drought-resistant and/or drought-tolerant crops shall receive a tax credit with the

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following conditions:

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A. Seeds must produce corn, rice, or wheat.

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B. Only bulk orders of this seed that are shipped at cost to rural areas outside of the

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United States can qualify for the tax credit. C. The total amount of seed from all such bulk orders must be adequate to cover a

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minimum of 1,000 acres. D. The tax credit shall be calculated at $10,000 plus $10 for every acre of seed shipped

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above the minimum requirement in Paragraph C above.

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SECTION 2. “Drought-tolerant” crops are those that can maintain at least 50% of their normal

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yield during a season of drought conditions. “Drought-resistant” crops are those that maintain at

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least 75% of their normal yield under the same conditions.

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SECTION 3. The Internal Revenue Service will calculate and distribute the tax credits. In areas

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of dispute, the Department of Agriculture will evaluate whether the criteria in Section 1 have

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been met.

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SECTION 4. Such credits will be issued beginning with the 2011 tax year.

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SECTION 5. States are allowed to provide additional tax incentives for developing and/or

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distributing these seeds.

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2009 California Invitational 1

A Resolution to Remove Terrorists from Pakistan

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WHEREAS, Dangerous terrorists continue to be harbored in regions of Pakistan; and

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WHEREAS, The Pakistani government has failed to remove these terrorists or curb their deadly

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activities ; and WHEREAS, Large-scale, coordinated terrorist attacks appear to be on the rise; now, therefore, be it

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RESOLVED, By the Student Congress here assembled that: if the Pakistani government does

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not destroy all terrorist encampments within its borders by January 1, 2010, the

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United States should send military forces into Pakistan with the expressed intent

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of destroying said encampments.

2009 California Invitational 1

A Bill Regarding Filling Vacant Congressional Seats

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BE IT ENACTED BY THE STUDENT CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT THE

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CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES BE AMENDED SO THAT:

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SECTION 1. Appointments to fill vacated seats in the United States House of Representatives

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and/or the United States Senate shall be made by the governor of the appropriate state subject to

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the confirmation of the appropriate state legislature (State Assembly or House for Representative

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seats; State Senates for U.S. Senators).

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SECTION 2. “Vacated seats” shall refer only to seats that are vacated due to the death or

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resignation of the sitting Congressperson or his/her appointment or election to a higher

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government office.

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SECTION 3. This Constitutional amendment would become effective once the normal

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ratification process has been completed.

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2009 California Invitational A Bill to Prevent Hospital Closures

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BE IT ENACTED BY THE STUDENT CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:

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SECTION 1. Any hospital that shows significant financial operating losses for a minimum of

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three consecutive years may be re-designated as a Federal Health Clinic.

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SECTION 2. A “Federal Health Clinic” shall be a government-run medical institution with all

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the same powers and attributes of a Rural Health Clinic.

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SECTION 3. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services would administer all Federal

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Health Clinics.

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SECTION 4. If there is no other hospital within a thirty-mile radius of a Federal Health Clinic,

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any citizen who lives within that thirty-mile radius shall automatically become eligible for

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Medicare insurance regardless of age or medical history.

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SECTION 5. State-based medical insurance programs shall likewise expand eligibility for these

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programs to anyone who would also be eligible for Medicare under Section 4.

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SECTION 6. Federal Health Clinics may opt to offer emergency and/or urgent care services

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with the following stipulations:

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A.

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Such services must be available to any and all patients whose condition requires such services.

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The FHC cannot charge patients who are insured through Medicare or any

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state-provided insurance program, but may charge patients who have insurance

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with a private carrier.

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2009 California Invitational 1

A Bill to Ensure Fiscal Responsibility

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BE IT ENACTED BY THE STUDENT CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:

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SECTION 1. No state that is scheduled to receive federal funds for state services shall receive

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any such funds unless it has an approved and balance state budget for the same fiscal year.

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SECTION 2. If a state’s fiscal year ends during the federal fiscal year, and a state budget is not

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in place for the following fiscal year, then federal monies will be withheld from the first day of

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the state’s new fiscal year until the state legislature approves a new, balanced budget.

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SECTION 3. Federal funds shall be distributed to the states through normal means.

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SECTION 4. States shall not be required to comply with federal mandates if the federal budget

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fails to allocate adequate funds for such compliance.

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SECTION 5. This bill will take effect in the federal fiscal year that begins on October 1, 2011.

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2009 California Invitational 1

A Bill to Specify Requirements for Federal Assistance (bailouts)

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BE IT ENACTED BY THE STUDENT CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:

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SECTION 1. Any business that accepts federal assistance (ie “bailout”) money must operate

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according to the restrictions and obligations of Chapter 13 bankruptcy.

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SECTION 2. For timeline purposes, the date a business is approved by the federal government

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to receive assistance shall be treated the same as the date of filing for Chapter 13.

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SECTION 3. The Treasury Department shall decide who qualifies for federal assistance, while

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the United States Bankruptcy Court shall monitor and enforce compliance.

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SECTION 4. The cost of administering the federal assistance, monitoring the business, and

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enforcing compliance shall be charged to the business as additional debt.

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SECTION 5. This bill shall take effect immediately upon its passage and apply to all

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prospective applicants for federal assistance.

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2009 California Invitational 1

A Resolution on Greece

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WHEREAS, Recent protests in Greece have threatened to destabilize the nation; and

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WHEREAS, The protests seem to be a reaction to pervasive and persistence corruption in the

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administration of Kostas Karamanlis; and WHEREAS, The extensive property damage that has already been caused may yet be

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outweighed by the deep erosion of the Greek public’s trust in its own government;

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now, therefore, be it

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RESOLVED, By the Student Congress here assembled that: all aid to Greece be immediately withheld until Prime Minister Karamanlis resigns.

2009 California Invitational 1 2 3 4

A Resolution on Teacher Tenure WHEREAS, Tenure can prevent teachers from being dismissed even after they have shown to be ineffective in the classroom; and WHEREAS, The pervasive achievement gaps in America’s classrooms cannot be resolved

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without more effective teachers and more effective teaching; and

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WHEREAS, Administrators – especially in struggling schools -- cannot improve the quality of

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teaching because tenure production makes replacing ineffective teachers

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prohibitively difficult; now, therefore, be it

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RESOLVED, By the Student Congress here assembled that: teachers who work in schools or

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districts that are classified as “in need of improvement” under No Child Left

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Behind shall lose their tenured or permanent status until such a time when the

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school and/or district is no longer “in need of improvement”.

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