SUBURBAN KANSAS CITY CONFERENCE
STUDENT CONGRESS LEGISLATION
SPRING 2015
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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International Genocide
North Korea
College Affordability
Music Piracy
Cost of Child Care
Electoral College
Justice System
Cyber Security
Grand Jury Reform
NSA
Orcas in Captivity
Genital Mutilation
Affirmative Consent for Sexual Violence
Digital Privacy
Metric System
Moon Capitalism
Sex Education
Reality Television
Police Misconduct
Firearm Background Checks
Grain Exports
Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp
Apartheid
Conference Member Schools have titles centered
Non-Conference Schools have titles left justified
1
A Resolution to Prevent International Genocide
1.
WHEREAS, Militant groups from surrounding countries vow to eliminate a
2.
people of race religion, or culture; and
3.
WHEREAS, These militant groups kill or attempt to kill thousands of innocent
4.
people solely on differing beliefs; and
5.
WHEREAS, When nothing is done, millions of innocent people are slaughtered
6.
as in the Rwanda Genocide in the 1990’s; and
7.
WHEREAS, Genocide can bring an end to a race or culture; and
8.
WHEREAS, The end of a race or culture can drastically change the world as it
9.
is today, and chaotically effect the natural order that has been preserved since the
10.
beginning of time; and
11.
WHEREAS, The United States upholds the beliefs of religious freedom and
12.
equal human rights for all; and
13.
WHEREAS, The United States should a protector of the weak, defender of the
14.
defenseless; now, therefore, be it
15.
RESOLVED, That the Congress here ensure defense of any culture or race at risk
16.
of being eliminated by militant groups; and, be it
17.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That the United States military will act as a police
18.
nation and fight for the freedom of defenseless races or culture.
2
A Resolution to Annex North Korea
1.
WHEREAS, North Korea is threatening the United States in addition to the
2.
international community; and,
3.
WHEREAS, North Korea is inherently harming our ally South Korea; and,
4.
WHEREAS, Any actions taken can be considered to have harmful effects outside
5.
the control of the United States; and,
6.
WHEREAS, the United States needs to assert its dominance;
7.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, By the Congress here assembled that the
8.
United States and her allies cut all ties with the Democratic People's Republic of
9.
Korea (North Korea).
3
A Resolution to Restore College Affordability
1.
WHEREAS college graduates will earn an average of $20,000 more a year than
2.
a high school graduate, and
3.
WHEREAS all Americans should have the opportunity to attend college and
4.
better their quality of life, and
5.
WHEREAS the cost of college is prohibitive to many citizens, and
6.
WHEREAS the rising cost of tuition and fees over the past decade has outpaced
7.
inflation by an average of five-percent, and
8.
WHEREAS in 2012 the average tuition and fees for public schools rose by 4.8
9.
percent, again higher than inflation, and
10.
WHEREAS this skyrocketing price is limiting the number of Americans who can
11.
attend college, and
12.
WHEREAS 7 in 10 seniors graduating college in 2013 had a student loan debt,
13.
averaging $28,000
14.
WHEREAS a report issued by the Georgetown Center states that America will
15.
have a 3 million person shortage of college-educated workers by 2018, be it
16.
RESOLVED by this Student Congress that public universities’ tuition and fees
17.
may not be raised by more than inflation.
4
A Resolution to Legalize Music Piracy on the Internet
1.
WHEREAS Performers make around $1,000 an hour while on stage
2.
WHEREAS Musicians make around $225,000 off of merchandise per show
3.
WHEREAS 70% of online users find nothing wrong with online piracy
4.
WHEREAS Internet organizations such as anonymous respond poorly to
5.
Government attacks to this area.
6.
WHEREAS A large number of the population already engages in online piracy
7.
WHEREAS Many artists already post their music in high quality to the internet
8.
in such places as Youtube
9.
THEREFORE Let it be resolved that The Student Congress here assembled
10.
legalize the act of online music piracy to open up music to a greater amount of
11.
people.
5
A Resolution to Decrease the General Cost of Child-Care
to Ensure Proper Child Development
1.
WHEREAS, Child-care costs have increased twice as fast as the median income
2.
of families with children; and
3.
WHEREAS, Four out of ten children are denied affordable child-care; and
4.
WHEREAS, Thirty percent of households with children have only a single
5.
parent income; and
6.
WHEREAS, The average annual cost of full-time care for an infant in center
7.
based care can range from about $4,600 in Mississippi to $20,200 in the District
8.
of Columbia; and
9.
WHEREAS, Child-care is beneficial for children and their future; and
10.
WHEREAS, Children who have child-care are four times more likely to earn a
11.
college degree; therefore, be it
12.
RESOLVED, That the Federal Government subsidize child-care programs in
13.
communities that fall below the poverty threshold.
6
A Resolution to Abolish the Electoral College
in Favor of Popular Vote
1.
WHEREAS, The Electoral College has changed the outcome of the national
2.
vote in favor of the candidate with less supporters; and
3.
WHEREAS, The Electoral College enforces the two-party system, which makes
4.
voters feel as if they are voting for the "lesser of two evils," rather than a
5.
candidate they really feel would do the best job; and
6.
WHEREAS, Each individual vote in Wyoming counts nearly four times as
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much in the Electoral College as each individual vote in Texas (Wyoming has one
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"elector" for every 177,556 people and Texas has one "elector" for about every
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715,499); and
10.
WHEREAS, A national popular vote supports true democracy, and
11.
WHEREAS, The Electoral College discourages citizens from voting, and
12.
dwindling voters are a major issue; be it
13.
RESOLVED, May the Congress here assembled abolish the Electoral College in
14.
favor of a national popular Vote.
7
A Resolution to Restore Justice to the Justice System
1.
Whereas,
States are currently permitted to hold elections for judges, and
2.
Whereas,
elected judges readily admit that their decisions can be swayed by
3.
campaign contributions and concerns surrounding impending elections, and
4.
whereas,
Judges should not be swayed by the whims of popular opinion or
political concerns, and
5.
whereas,
judges hold an inordinate amount of power and influence in the
6.
execution and enforcement of laws, be it
7.
Resolved,
that the congress here assembled discourage states from allowing
elections for judicial officeholders on the local and state level.
8
A Resolution Regarding CyberSecurity
1.
WHEREAS, the United States is currently plagued with CyberCrime; and,
2.
WHEREAS, CyberCrime is a vastly underrepresented field in the society; and,
3.
WHEREAS, the United States is very vulnerable to Cyber Terrorism threats from
4.
around the globe; and,
5.
WHEREAS, the United States needs to assert its dominance and secure
6.
it's infrastructure; therefore be it
7.
RESOLVED, By the Congress here assembled that the United States further
8.
develop and step up it's CyberSecurity; and be it,
9.
FURTHER RESOLVED, The National Security Agency will be the oversight
10.
agency involved in this proliferation of CyberSecurity Infrastructure.
9
A Resolution to Enact Grand Jury Reform
1.
WHEREAS, a grand jury is one of the first procedures in a criminal trial,
2.
typically reserved for serious felonies; and
3.
WHEREAS, a grand jury works with a prosecutor in order to determine whether
4.
or not to bring criminal charges or an indictment against a suspect; and
5.
WHEREAS, the prosecutor is responsible for instructing the grand jury members
6.
regarding the current laws applicable to the case in question; and
7.
WHEREAS, there is no judge present, and there is typically no lawyers other
8.
than the prosecutor present; and
9.
WHEREAS, the prosecutor in the case regarding Ferguson, MO, Officer Darren
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Wilson improperly instructed the jury that Missouri law allows police officers to
11.
use deadly force on fleeing suspects; and
12.
WHEREAS, the Supreme Court ruling in Tennessee v. Garner in 1985
13.
determined that such laws were unconstitutional; and
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WHEREAS, that same prosecutor did not take back the instruction until just
15.
before deliberations, saying about the paper containing the instruction “So the
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statute that I gave you, if you want to fold that in half so that you know don’t
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necessarily rely on that because there is a portion of that that doesn’t comply with
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the law;” and
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WHEREAS, there is no way in a grand jury proceeding to declare a mistrial or
20.
fix a mistake like this; therefore
21.
BE IT RESOLVED by this Student Congress here assembled that grand juries be
22.
overseen by a panel of judges who can prevent mistakes like this from happening.
10
A Bill to Dissolve the NSA
1.
Be it enacted by this student congress that the NSA (National Security Agency)
2.
be dissolved.
3.
Section 1: We propose that we dissolve the NSA to improve our country for the
4.
better.
5.
Section 2: The U.S. constitution and the members of congress in the House of
6.
Intelligence committee will be enforcing this law.
7.
Section 3: The funding previously established for use by the NSA will be
8.
removed from the fiscal budget.
9.
Section 4: The legislation will be taking place as of November 4th, 2015
11
A Bill to Prohibit Separation of Mother and Calf Orcas in Captivity
1.
SECTION 1.
2.
The United States government will prohibit the separation of mother and their calf
3.
orca whales in any aquarium, zoo, park, or other place of orca captivity.
4.
Separation of mother and calf has been known to cause depression in captive
5.
whales; therefore, any orca and mother together in captivity may not be sold to
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any park, aquarium, or zoo separately. They must be allowed to remain together
7.
until death or reintroduction into their oceanic habitat, except in cases of abuse by
8.
mother or calf.
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SECTION 2.
10.
Orcinus orca/orcas/killer whales are aquatic mammals and members of the
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Delphinidae (dolphin) family that live in stable family-related groups.
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Captivity is the state of being kept in a place (such as a cage, tank, or any type of
13.
enclosure) and not being able to leave or be free.
14.
SECTION 3.
15.
The United States Department of Agriculture and the Animal and Plant Health
16.
Inspection Service as an extension of regulation by the Animal Welfare Act will
17.
oversee the welfare of Orcas according to Section 1.
18.
SECTION 4.
19.
This bill will take effect January 1, 2016.
20.
21.
SECTION 5.
All laws in conflict with this legislation are henceforth null and void.
12
A resolution concerning genital mutilation
1.
Whereas genital mutilation is extremely painful to a newborn, and
2.
Whereas there is no medical benefit to gential mutilation whether it is a male or a
3.
female, and
4.
Whereas female genital mutilation is illegal in all but 24 countries in the world,
5.
and
6.
Whereas people have a right to do what they want with their body and have the
7.
autonomy to choose whether or not they are circumcised; now therefore, be it
8.
Resolved by the Congress here that there will be a ban on genital mutilation on
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anyone under the age of 18 unless there is a medical necessity.
13
A Resolution to Encourage the Adoption of Affirmative Consent
Standards for Defining Sexual Violence on College Campuses
1.
WHEREAS, On August, 13, 2014, 76 postsecondary institutions in the United
2.
States were facing Title IX sexual violence investigations; and
3.
WHEREAS, A 2007 Campus Sexual Assault Study conducted by the U.S.
4.
Department of Justice found that 1 in 5 women, and 1 in 16 men, are the targets of
5.
attempted or completed sexual assault while they are college students; and
6.
WHEREAS, Less that 5% of rapes and attempted rapes of college students are
7.
reported to campus authorities or law enforcement; and
8.
WHEREAS, Two-thirds of campus sexual assaults are carried out by repeat
9.
offenders; and
10.
WHEREAS, The current “no means no” standard of consent has often brought
11.
ambiguity into university investigations of sexual assault cases, regularly leading
12.
to the dismissal of charges; and
13.
WHEREAS many victims of sexual assault are unable verbally or physically
14.
resist sexual advances; and
15.
WHEREAS The State of California has become a national model for
16.
Affirmative Consent with its recent passage of California SB 967, now, therefore,
17.
be it
18.
RESOLVED, By the Congress here assembled that all postsecondary institutions
19.
of higher learning adopt a standard of Affirmative Consent that requires an
20.
ongoing, affirmative, conscious, and voluntary agreement by each party to engage
21.
in sexual activity, when defining and enforcing sexual violence regulations.
14
A Resolution to Protect Digital Privacy by Requiring a
Search Warrant to Go Through Digital Data
1.
WHEREAS, digital privacy is being violated by various organizations and
2.
WHEREAS, all American citizens digital data can be viewed without consent
3.
and
4.
WHEREAS, this violates the Constitution and individual rights and
5.
WHEREAS, digital privacy now be respected now, therefore, be it
6.
RESOLVED, That the Congress here assembled make the following
7.
recommendation for a warrant with reasonable cause to be required to search
8.
through digital data.
15
A resolution regarding the metric system
1.
WHEREAS, the United States is one of few modern countries not using the
2.
metric system; and
3.
WHEREAS, President Jimmy Carter made an attempt to convert the united states
4.
to the metric system; and
5.
WHEREAS, the system of tens as conversions is much more comprehensible to
6.
children than the more complicated U.S. customary system’s seemingly random
7.
conversions; and
8.
WHEREAS, the metric system is based on scientific ideals rather than natural
9.
comparisons; therefore
10.
BE IT RESOLVED by the student congress assembled here today that the
11.
United States be completely converted to the metric system
16
A resolution regarding moon capitalism
1.
WHEREAS, the moon has 37.9 million square kilometers not being used; and
2.
WHEREAS, according to Dutch scientists, legible signs would only need to take
3.
189.5 thousand square kilometers of space; and
4.
WHEREAS, this allows 200 different advertisements on the moon; and
5.
WHEREAS, this has the potential to generate billions in international funds; and
6.
WHEREAS, this increased space travel would allow further scientific discovery;
7.
and
8.
WHEREAS, the moon serves no other practical purpose; therefore
9.
BE IT RESOLVED by the student congress assembled here today that the
10.
president be urged to address this change to the U.N.; and
11.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the president urge the U.N. to give the
12.
United States primary jurisdiction and control over the project.
17
A Resolution to Require Sex Education
1.
WHEREAS, 25 states require that when sex education is taught that abstinence
2.
be stressed, and
3.
WHEREAS, only 13 states require that the instruction be medically accurate, and
4.
WHEREAS, only 8 states require that the program must provide instruction that
5.
is not biased against any race, sex or ethnicity, and
6.
WHEREAS, states with abstinence-only policies had the highest STD and teen
7.
pregnancy rates, and
8.
WHEREAS, states with neutral, medically accurate sex education policies
9.
actually saw lower STD and teen pregnancy rates, as well as a delay in the age
10.
that teenagers first have sex; therefore,
11.
BE IT RESOLVED by this Student Congress here assembled that all states
12.
should be required to provide 2 full years of unbiased, fact-based sex education in
13.
8th and 9th grades.
18
A Resolution to End Family-Based Reality Television
1.
WHEREAS, The current trend of family-based reality television produces
2.
programming that corrupts the values of America’s young people; and
3.
WHEREAS, Shows such as The Jersey Shore, Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, and
4.
Keeping Up With the Kardashians, negatively impact young people’s views
5.
regarding beauty and relationships; and
6.
WHEREAS, These change in views often causes negative self-image and/or
7.
depression in adolescent viewers; and
8.
WHEREAS, These changing views also lead to a devaluation of the family unit
9.
which weakens our society as a whole, therefore, be it
10.
RESOLVED,
11.
recommendation, that the television industry discontinue the production of
12.
family-based reality programming.
That the Congress here assembled make the following
19
A Resolution to Increase Consequences for Police Misconduct
1.
WHEREAS, In recent years cases of law enforcement brutality and misconduct
2.
have been on the rise, and
3.
WHEREAS, United States police officers have killed over 5,000 civilians since
4.
2001, the majority of which were innocent, and
5.
WHEREAS, The majority of police officers who were involved in misconduct
6.
only received minor penalizations, such as short suspensions and minor
7.
administrative revues, with little to no long term consequences, and
8.
WHEREAS, Most law enforcement officers receive their jobs back after
9.
misconduct, and
10.
WHEREAS, In an FBI study it found that police offenders who then mentored
11.
the rookie police officers leads to even more misconduct, and
12.
WHEREAS, Some victims of police misconduct and their relatives and friends
13.
have been permanently traumatized and do not received closure or justice for the
14.
pain inflicted so be it,
15.
RESOLVED, That the Congress here assembled fire all police officers involved
16.
in misconduct and may they be permanently taken out of law enforcement so
17.
citizens can feel safe and the community can be justly protected by their police
18.
force.
20
A Resolution to Increase Background Checks for the Purchase of Firearms
1.
WHEREAS, current background checks are not substantial enough; and
2.
WHEREAS, there are nearly 40% fewer homicides between families in cities
3.
with background checks; and the murder rate in Missouri alone jumped 16% after
4.
repealing the requirement for substantial background checks; and
5.
WHEREAS, gun violence is a problem for everyone; and
6.
WHEREAS, anyone wanting a firearm should be capable of handling the
7.
responsibility of a firearm; and
8.
WHEREAS, people who should not own firearms at the risk of others are
9.
obtaining them legally; now, therefore, be it
10.
RESOLVED, By the Congress here assembled that gun buyers should go
11.
through FBI background checks.
21
A Bill to Change Regulations for the Export of US Grain
1.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:
2.
SECTION 1. The US will stop selling corn to China unless US officials
3.
determine China has a legitimate domestic corn shortage.
4.
SECTION 2. A “legitimate domestic corn shortage” shall mean a shortage of
5.
corn grown and produced in China.
6.
SECTION 3. The US Department of Agriculture shall administer this policy.
7.
SECTION 4. This bill shall go into effect immediately upon passage.
8.
SECTION 5. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null
9.
and void.
22
A Bill to Close Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp
1.
BE IT ENACTED BY THIS CONGRESS ASSEMBLED HERE THAT:
2.
Section 1: The United States will close Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp and
3.
move detainees to pretrial facilities.
4.
Section 2:
5.
2002, the United States of America has been breaking international and national
6.
law.
7.
A. Since the first detainee was brought to the detention Center in
B. According to the Washington Post, Since 2002, the
8.
Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp has held illegally 779 detainees, many being
9.
help with no legal charges.
10.
C. The United States has been urged by international
11.
organizations and allies, including the UN, to end these illegal detentions.
12.
Section 3: A. Conditions within the camp can only be described as
13.
inhumane, leading to a wide spreading hunger strike.
14.
B. There have been allegations of cruel and unusual
15.
interrogations, sexual assault, force feeding, physical abuse, etc.
16.
Section 4: President Obama signed legislation to close Guantanamo Bay
17.
Detention Camp in 2009, yet the detention camp remains open.
18.
Section 5: This bill with expedite the closing of the detention camp, and
19.
will be enacted on January 3, 2015.
20.
Section 6: All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby considered null and
21.
void.
23
A Resolution to Stop Apartheid Practices in Law Enforcement Agencies
1.
WHEREAS, In the United States, issues of police entities engaging in
2.
practices that are considered to be Apartheid, are on the rise. These include the
3.
cases with Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, and Michael Brown, the latter starting
4.
the Ferguson Missouri Riots.
5.
WHEREAS, It is the duty of the government to enforce laws equally and
6.
without prejudice, no matter the race, gender, sexuality, or any other natural
7.
factor.
8.
WHEREAS, The issue of apartheid practices in law enforcement agencies is
9.
across multiple states, thus making it the duty of the National Government to put
10.
an end to such practices.
11.
RESOLVED, That the Congress here assembled, in an effort to battle Apartheid
12.
Practices in Law Enforcement Agencies, require on duty police to wear cameras
13.
in order that when an issue of apartheid practices does occur, video evidence will
14.
be able to determine without prejudice or hearsay, what occurred.