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DearDelegates,

WelcometotheFirstAnnualCentennialModelCongressConference!Thepurposeofthis
conferenceisforhighschoolstudentsacrossMarylandtobeabletoresearchcontentioustopics
facingtheU.S.governmenttoday,exercisedebateskills,demonstrateknowledgeofthelegislative
process,andprepareforcollegiateconferencesinaCongressionalsimulationsetting.Inorderto
succeedincommittee,itiscriticalthatyouprepareforyourrolepriortotheconference,andthis
guideisintendedtoassistyouinresearching,writingpositionpapers,andfullygrasping
parliamentaryprocedure.ThepresubmittedpositionpapersareduetoyourchairsbySunday,
March27thviaemail,theaddressestowhicharefoundontheContactpageonourwebsiteat
conf.centennialmc.org,whichalsocontainslogisticalinformationsuchasaddress,schedule,and
registrationinformation.Positionpapersareintendedtogetyouagoodstartonunderstandingyour
topicsandyourassigneddelegatesviewpoints,aswellastoprovideabasisfromwhichyoumay
draftbillsincommittee.

Itishighlyencouragedthatyoutobeginpreparingrightaway,asproperknowledgeof
backgroundinformationandconsiderationoftopicsprovidesforamuchmoreenriching
experienceincommittee.Wehopethatyoudiscoversomethingnewandthoughtprovokingin
yourinvestigations.Goodluck,andweawaityourarrivalatCentennialHighonApril9th!

Best,
JessicaGai,BrittneyMurugesan,DrewSchleicher
ConferenceCoordinators


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TABLEOFCONTENTS

1. RulesofParliamentaryProcedure
a. Fundamentals
b. Debate
c. WrittenProposals
d. Points
e. Motions
f. Voting
2. Bills
a. Proposingabill
b. Format
c. Amendments
d. Passingabill
3. TableofPointsandMotions
4. SAMPLEBILL


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RULESOFPARLIAMENTARYPROCEDURE

Inreadingtheserules,keepthesekeyconceptsinmind:Onlybillsandissuesopenfordebatemaybe
discussed.Motionsmayonlybemadewhenthefloorisopen.Ifthereareseveralmotions,thenthemotion
withhighestprecedentisconsideredfirst.

Fundamentals
1. SCOPE:Theserulesofprocedureshallbeselfsufficientandshallbeconsideredadoptedin
advanceoftheconference.Nootherrulesofprocedureshallapply.
2. POWERSOFTHECHAIR:TheChairofacommitteeshalldirectdiscussions,putquestions,
announcedecisions,accordtherighttospeak,decideallquestionsoforder,signallwritten
proposals,andensureandenforceobservanceoftheserules.TheChairshall,subjecttotheserules,
havecompletecontroloftheproceedingsatanymeetingandoverthemaintenanceoforder.The
Chairshallnotvote,exceptinthecaseofatie.
3. MEMBERS:EveryMembershallbepresentunlessexcusedornecessarilyprevented.AMember
maynotauthorizeanyotherindividualtocasthisorhervoteorrecordhisorherpresence.No
Membershallberecognizedwithouthisorherplacard.SenatorsshallbeaddressedastheSenator
from[State]representativesastheRepresentativefrom[State].
4. MOTIONS:Whenthefloorisopen,MembersmayriseandberecognizedbytheChairbyraising
theirplacards.ThefloorisdefinedasopenifnoMemberofthecommitteeorcongressionalstaffis
speakingorhasbeenrecognizedtospeak.ONLYpointsofpersonalprivilegeandordermay
interruptaspeaker.Onlyonemotionmaybeontheflooratanygivenmoment.Ifanewmotion
takesprecedenceoverthemotioncurrentlyonthefloor,thenthemotioncurrentlyonthefloorwill
betabledwhilethenewmotionisresolved.Theoldmotionwillthenreturntothefloor.Nomotion
mayberecognizedthatfallsbelowthecurrentmotioninprecedence.Inordertobeconsideredby
theCommittee,amotionmustbeimmediatelysecondedbyanotherMember.
5. QUORUM:TheChairshalldeclaretheopeningofasessionwhenatleastonethirdoftheMembers
arepresent.
6. COURTESY:AllMembersshallshowcourtesyandrespecttothecongressionalstaffandtoother
Members.IfanyMembershouldtransgresstheserules,theChairshallcallhimorhertoorder,in
whichcaseheorsheshallimmediatelysitdown.NoMembershallimputeanyconductormotive
unworthyorunbecomingofaMember.NoMemberindebateshallreferoffensivelytoany
MemberortoanyStateoftheUnion.
Debate
1. SPEAKERSLIST:WhenaMemberdesirestospeakonanyquestion,heshallsubmithisState(and
DistrictnumberintheHouse,orrankintheSenate)totheChairtobeenteredontheSpeakersList
forthatquestion.ThereshouldbeonecontinuallyopengeneralSpeakersListontheissuebefore
thefloor.SeparateSpeakersListsshallbeestablishedonalldebatablequestions,includingmotions,
amendments,andbills.TheChairmayrotatebetweenmajorityandminoritypartiesorbetween
MembersForandOpposed.
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2. TIMELIMITONSPEECHES:TheChairmaylimitthetimeallottedtoeachspeakerandthe
numberoftimesMembersmayspeakonanyquestion.IfaMemberexceedshisorherallotted
time,theChairshallcallhimorhertoorderwithoutdelay.
3. YIELDS:Aspeakerwhohasremainingtimeattheendofhisorherspeechhasthreeoptions:
a. Yieldremainingtime
totheChair
,wherebyhisorhertimeisendedandthefloorisopen
formotions.
b. Yieldremainingtime
toquestions
,wherebytheChairwillrecognizequestionsfromthe
flooruntiltimeexpires.Onlythespeakersresponsestoquestionsshallbedeductedfrom
remainingtime.
c. Yieldremainingtimeto
anotherMember
,whomaythenriseandusethistimetoaddress
theCommittee.
4. Attheendofaspeech,ifthespeakerneglectstoyieldhisremainingtimetoanyoftheabove,any
Membermayriseandask,Willthespeakeryieldtoquestions?NOTE:Aspeakermaynotyield
toanotherspeakerafteryieldingtoandansweringquestions.Aspeakertowhomtimehasbeen
yieldedmaynotthenyieldtimetoanotherspeakerortoquestions.

WrittenProposals
1. SIGNATURES:WrittenproposalsmayonlybedistributedtotheCommitteeafterreceivingthe
Chair'ssignature.CertainproposalsalsorequirethesignaturesofanumberofMembers.Signatures
donotrepresentpersonalsupportfortheproposal,butmerelyawillingnesstoentertaindebateon
theproposal.TheChairmayrefusetosignaproposalifitdoesnotfollowproperformat,is
incoherentinformorconcept,essentiallyreproducesapreviousproposal,wouldimpedethe
progressoftheCommittee,islimitedincontent,orifitdoesnotaddresstheissuesufficiently.This
decisioncannotbeappealed.
2. WORKINGPAPERS:Membersmaybringworkingpapersbeforetheconsiderationofthe
Committee.Workingpapersareunofficialdocumentsandmayincludegeneralideas,policy
statements,orproposedbills.Theyareneverofficiallyintroducedhowever,theyrequirethe
signatureoftheChairtobecopiedanddistributedtotheCommittee.
3. BILLS:Proposalsmaybesubmittedasbillswhentheyaresignedby4senatorsinaSenate
committeeor6representativesinaHousecommittee,aswellastheChair.Signingabillfor
introductionneednotindicatesupportforitscontent,butrathersupportforseeingitdebate.Once
submitted,theChairshallhavethebillseithercopiedanddistributedorprojectedontoascreen,
afterwhichaMembermaymovetointroduceabill(seeMotions).Billswhichpassincommittee
andpassbothchambersofCongresswillbesenttothePresidents.Ifthepresidentdoesnotvetothe
bill,itbecomesalaw.Otherwisethevetomustbeoverriddenbya2/3voteofeachchamberforthe
billtobecomelaw.
4. AMENDMENTS:AmendmentsmaybesubmittedoncetheyreceivesignaturesfromtheChairand
twosenatorsoreightrepresentatives.IntheHouse,amendmentsmustberelevanttothebillandthe
sectionbeingamendedamendmentsintheSenateneednotberelevant.Membersmaynotdirectly
amendanamendmentwhichisontheflooroftheCommittee.Onlybillsmaybeamended.
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Points
1. POINTOFPERSONALPRIVILEGE:Atanytime,aMembermayrisetoaPointofPersonal
PrivilegetocorrectconditionsadverselyaffectingtherightsandpersonalcomfortoftheMembers.
Questionsofprivilegeshallhaveprecedenceoverallotherquestionsandshallberesolvedbythe
Chair.
2. POINTOFORDER:Atanytime,aMembermayrisetoaPointofOrderifheorshefeelsthatthe
rulesarenotbeingfollowed.QuestionsofordershallbedecidedbytheChairwithoutdebate,
subjecttoappeal.
3. POINTOFINFORMATION:Whenthefloorisopen,aMembermayrisetoaskaquestionrelating
tosubstantiveissues,suchascontentofabillorfactualinformationaboutthetopicofdebate.
4. POINTOFPARLIAMENTARYINQUIRY:Whenthefloorisopen,aMembermayrisetoaska
questionoftheChairregardingparliamentaryprocedure.

Motions
1. PRECEDENCE:Motionsshallbeconsideredintheorderofprecedencelistedonthechartentitled
TableofPointsandMotions.Motionsatthesamelevelofprecedenceshallbedecidedintheorder
inwhichtheywereintroduced.

2. CONSIDERADIFFERENTISSUE:Amotiontochangethestatedtopicshallrequiretheapproval
oftheChairandthesecondofamajorityoftheMembersandshallbedebatablewithonespeaker
infavorandoneopposed.Itshallrequirea2/3majoritytopass.Itshallhavetheeffectoftabling
discussiononthecurrenttopicandanybilloramendmentcurrentlyonthefloor.Followingthe
passageofthismotion,committeeswillmovedirectlytothesecondtopic.
3. CAUCUSING:Whenthefloorisopen,aMembermaymovetocaucusforastatedreasonanda
statedperiodoftime,nottoexceedtwentyminutes.Themotionisnotdebatableandrequiresa
majoritytopass.
a. MODERATEDCAUCUS12minutespeakingtimenoformallistMotionfora__
minutemoderatedcaucuswitha__minutespeakingtime.
b. UNMODERATEDCAUCUSbipartisanorpartisannoorganization/abletogetupand
movearoundtheroom
writebills
Motionfora__minuteunmoderatedcaucus.
4. INTRODUCTIONOFABILL:OnceabillhasbeensubmittedtotheChairwithpropersignatures
andhasbeencopiedanddistributedtotheCommittee,aMembermayrisetointroduceitfor
consideration.Ifthemotionisseconded,thentheChairshallallowonespeakerinfavorandone
opposed.Ifthemotionpasseswithsupportfromatleast1/3oftheMembersvoting,thenanew
SpeakersListshallbedrawnupwiththeMemberwhomadethemotionplacedfirst,andthebill
shallbedebateduntilaMotionforthePreviousQuestionorforLayingontheTablepasses.
5. INTRODUCTIONOFANAMENDMENT:OnceanamendmentissubmittedandtheChairhas
eitherdistributedcopiesorpublicizedtheamendmentinsomefashion,aMembermayriseto
introducetheamendment.Uponreceivingasecond,theamendmentshallbeimmediatelyplacedon
thefloor.Ifthereisabsolutelynoobjectiontotheamendment,thenitshallpassbyAcclamation.
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6.

7.

8.

9.

Otherwise,theamendmentshallbedebatedwithanewSpeakersListuntilthereisaMotionfor
PreviousQuestionorforLayingontheTable.Althoughthereisnovoteastowhetherornotan
amendmentmaybeintroduced,aMembermayObjecttoConsiderationofthemotion.
OBJECTIONTOCONSIDERATION:TheObjectiontoConsiderationofanybill,amendment,or
motionrequiringdebatemaybemadeimmediatelyfollowingintroductionofthemotionandbefore
debatehascommenced.ObjectiontoConsiderationisnotdebatableandrequiresa2/3vote.
SUSPENSIONOFARULE:AMotiontoSuspendaRuleisinorderifitreceivestheapprovalof
theChair.ThemotionmustbesecondedbyamajorityoftheMemberspresent.Themotionmay
thenbedebatedbyonespeakerinfavorandoneopposedandshallrequirethesupportofmorethan
2/3oftheMembersvoting.
LAYINGON/TAKINGFROMTHETABLE:AMotiontoLayaBill,Amendment,orMotionon
theTableisnotdebatableandrequiresthesupportof2/3oftheMembersvoting.Itremovesan
itemfromthefloorandfromimmediateconsiderationbytheCommittee.Amotiontoresume
debateonanytabledmotion(toTakefromtheTable)isnotdebatableandrequiresamajorityto
pass.
PREVIOUSQUESTION:
Whenthefloorisopenandabilloramendmentisunderdiscussion,a
MembermaymovetoPreviousQuestion.Ifthemotionisseconded,theChairwillrecognizeone
speakeragainstthemotion.Themotionrequiresa2/3majoritytopassifitpasses,thenalldebate

10. shallendandtheCommitteeshallmovetoadirectvoteontheproposalinquestion.Notethatifan
amendmentisonthefloor,aMotionforPreviousQuestiononabillorresolutionisoutoforder.
11. RECESS:Whenthefloorisopen,aMembermaymovetoRecessuntilthenextscheduledmeeting.
Themotionisdebatable,requiresamajoritytopass,andsuspendsallcommitteefunctionsuntilthe
nextmeeting.TheChairsdecisiontorulethismotiondilatorycannotbeappealed.

Voting
1. TAKINGTHEVOTE:EachMembershallhaveonevoteandshallvoteAyeorNay.Each
questionshallbedecidedbyaplacardvote.NoMembersmaychangeorwithdrawtheirvotes
exceptwithunanimousconsent.
2. DIVISIONOFAQUESTION:AnyMembermayasktodivideabilloramendment,inorderto
voteseparatelyonindividualpartsoftheproposedlegislation.AMemberwouldmovetoDivide
theQuestionifheorsheagreedwithallbutcertainsectionsofabill.Themotionmustclearlystate
whichsectionsaretobedividedfromthebilloramendmenttobevotedonseparately.AMember
mayasktovoteseparatelyoneverysectionofthebillormayasktovoteseparatelyononeclause
only.Afterthedivisionshavebeenstated,theChairshallcallavoteoneachdivision.Thoseparts
whichpassbysimplemajorityshallremainpartofthebill.Thosepartswhichdonotpasswillbe
omittedfromtheoriginalbill.Afinalvotewillbetakenonthebillasitremainsi.e.,onthe
survivingsectionsofthebillasawhole.


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BILLS

ProposingaBill
Whendebateconcludesanddelegatesenterthebillwritingstage,thereusuallyareseveraldifferentbills
beingwrittenbycommitteemembersatthesametime.Accordingtocommitteerules,however,onlyone
billmaybedebatedatanyonetimesotheprocessofgettingabillontothefloorbecomessomethingofa
race.

FormatforallBills
Allbillsmustfollowtheformatspecifiedbelow:

A)Title
B)Preamblethebillsbasicpurposeandintent
C)Contentthelegislation
D)Definitionsdefinitionsofambiguousterms
E)Enforcementpenaltiesforviolation
F)Fundingsuggestionsoftheamountandthesource,tobejudgedbytheappropriationscommittee

Withineachsection,eachnumberedclauseshouldaddressadifferentidea,especiallyinthecontentsection.
Acertainsectionmaybeomittedifabsolutelyunnecessaryforexample,anenforcementclausemightnot
appearinanappropriationsbillintheHouse.

Amendments
Afterdebatingabillforsometime,memberswhodonotwhollysupportabillmaywishtoadd,rewrite,or
deletecertainsections.Membersmustproposesuchchangesintheformofamendments.Some
amendmentsareratherminorandpassalmostimmediatelyothersmaybedetailedandrequireextensive

debate.Inanyevent,amendmentsrequiresignaturesoftheChairandeithertwosenatorsorfive
representatives.Amendmentsaredecided
FRIENDLY
bytheauthorsofthebill,inwhichcasethe
amendmentisautomaticallyputintothebillwithoutfurtherquestion,or
UNFRIENDLY,
inwhichcasethe
amendmentrequiresdebateinordertopassandimmediatelyplacedonthefloorofthecommitteeupon
introductionbyamember.Amendmentsareoftentheresultofcompromise,yetanamendmentcandouble
asapoliticalweapontokilllegislation.

PassingLegislation
Eventually,thecommitteewillbringabilltoavote.Oncedebateonthebillisclosedandupon
Motionfor
thePreviousQuestion,
thecommitteemovesintoplacardvotingprocedure.MotionforthePrevious
questionrequiresa2/3majorityvote,whilepassingbillsrequireasimplemajoritytopass.


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TABLEOFPOINTSANDMOTIONS

MOTIONS(BYPRECEDENCE)SECOND?DEBATABLEVOTE

AppealtheDecisionoftheChairYesChairMajority

PointofPersonalPrivilegeNoNoChair
PointofOrderNoNoChair
PointofInformationNoNoChair
PointofParliamentaryInquiryNoNoChair

MotiontoRiseYesNoMajority
MotiontoRecessYesNoMajority
MotiontoCaucusYesNoMajority

MotiontoObjecttoConsiderationYesNo2/3
SuspendaRule1/21pro/1con2/3

MotiontoLayontheTableYesNo2/3
MotiontoTakefromtheTableYesNoMajority
MotionforPreviousQuestionYes1con2/3
MotiontoConsideraDifferentIssue1/21pro/1con2/3

MotiontoIntroduceanAmendmentYesNoNone
MotiontoIntroduceaBill/ResolutionYes1pro/1con1/3
MotionforReconsiderYes1proMajority


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SAMPLEBILL

ForeignNarcoticsControlAct

BeitherebyenactedbytheUSSenate:
Preamble
TheUnitedStatesSenateresolvestostrengthentheforcesoftheWaronDrugsbyincreasingforeignlaw
enforcementandmilitaryassistanceandsupportforAmericandruginterdiction.
Content
1.$200millioninforeignaidshallbegiventothenationsofBoliviaandColombiainordertotrain,equip
andsupporttheirlawenforcementandmilitaryforcesforthepurposeofcombatingnarcoticstrafficking.
2.ThePresidentoftheUnitedStatesshallbeauthorizedtotransferimmediatelyupto$50millionworthof
excessUSmilitarysuppliestothemilitariesofmajorLatinAmericandrugproducingnations.
3(a).$250millionshallbeallocatedtothePentagontosupportAWACSsurveillanceplanes,E2Navy
reconnaissanceplanesandP3planesinordertodetectdrugshipments.
(b).$100millionshallbeallocatedtoincreaseF15interceptorcapabilitiesandCoastGuardpatrolsnear
USwaters.
4.Upto$200millionineconomicaidshallbeprovidedinmatchingfundstothegovernmentsofmajor
LatinAmericandrugproducingnations.Fundswillbeprovidedtothosenationsmatchingtheir
expendituresoninternalcropsubstitution,drugeradicationanddrugeducationprograms.
Definitions
AWACS
AirborneWarningandControlSystemmodifiedBoeing707airplanesoutfittedwith
sophisticatedradarequipment.
MajorLatinAmericandrugproducingnations
Bolivia,Peru,Colombia,Belize,Mexico,Ecuador,
Paraguay.Forthepurposesofthislegislation,thislistcanbeexpandedsubjecttoreviewbytheSecretaryof
State.
Enforcement
AidandassistanceshallbereviewedquarterlybytheGeneralAccountingOffice.Thereshallbeaforeign
penaltyofuptocompletecutoffofforeignaidforforeignmisappropriationormisuseoffunds.
Funding
Fundingforthisbillwillbeappropriatedafterpassingfullsession.