Past Policy Debate Topics
  • 1939-40
    Resolved: That the federal government should own and operate the railroads.
  • 1940-41
    Resolved: That the power of the federal government should be increased.
  • 1941-42
    Resolved: That every able-bodied male citizen in the United States should be required to have one year of full-time military training before attaining the present draft age.
  • 1942-43
    Resolved: That a federal world government should be established.
  • 1943-44
    Resolved: That the United States should join in reconstituting the League of Nations.
  • 1944-45
    Resolved: That the legal voting age should be reduced to eighteen years.
  • 1945-46
    Resolved: That ever able-bodied male citizen of the United States should have one year of full time military training before attaining age 24.
  • 1946-47
    Resolved: That the federal government should provide a system of complete Medical care available to all citizens at public expense.
  • 1947-48
    Resolved: That the federal government should require arbitration of labor disputes in all basic industries.
  • 1948-49
    Resolved: That a federal world government should be established.
  • 1949-50
    Resolved: That the President of the United States should be elected by the direct vote of the people.
  • 1950-51
    Resolved: That the American people should reject the Welfare state.
  • 1951-52
    Resolved: That all American citizens should be subject to conscription for essential service in time of war.
  • 1952-53
    Resolved: That the Atlantic pact nations should form a federal union.
  • 1953-54
    Resolved: That the President of the United States should be elected by the direct vote of the people.
  • 1954-55
    Resolved: That the federal government should initiate a policy of free trade among nations friendly to the United States.
  • 1955-56
    Resolved: That the government subsidies should be granted according to need to high school graduates who qualify for additional training.
  • 1956-57
    Resolved: That the federal government should sustain the prices of major agricultural products at not less than 90% of parity.
  • 1957-58
    Resolved: That the United States foreign aid should be substantially increased.
  • 1958-59
    Resolved: That the United States should adopt the essential feature of the British system of education.
  • 1959-60
    Resolved: That the federal government should substantially increase its regulation of labor unions.
  • 1960-61
    Resolved: That the United Nations should be significantly strengthened.
  • 1961-62
    Resolved: That the federal government should equalize educational opportunity by means of grants to the states for public elementary and secondary education.
  • 1962-63
    Resolved: That the United States should promote a Common Market for the western hemisphere.
  • 1963-64
    Resolved: That Social Security benefits should be extended to include complete medical care.
  • 1964-65
    Resolved: That nuclear weapons should be controlled by an international organization.
  • 1965-66
    Resolved: That the federal government should adopt a program of compulsory arbitration in labor-management disputes in basic industries.
  • 1966-67
    Resolved: That the foreign aid program of the United States should be limited to non-military assistance.
  • 1967-68
    Resolved: That Congress should establish uniform regulations to control criminal investigation procedures.
  • 1968-69
    Resolved: That the United States should establish a system of compulsory service by all citizens.
  • 1969-70
    Resolved: That Congress should prohibit unilateral United States military intervention in foreign countries.
  • 1970-71
    Resolved: That the federal government should establish, finance, and administer programs to control air and/or water pollution in the United States.
  • 1971-72
    Resolved: That the jury system in the United States should be significantly changed.
  • 1972-73
    Resolved: That governmental financial support for all public and secondary education in the United States be provided exclusively by the federal government.
  • 1973-74
    Resolved: That the federal government should guarantee a minimum annual income to each family unit.
  • 1974-75
    Resolved: That the United States should significantly change the method of selection of presidential and vice-presidential candidates.
  • 1975-76
    Resolved: That the development and allocation of scarce world resources should be controlled by an international organization.
  • 1976-77
    Resolved: That a comprehensive program of penal reform should be adopted throughout the United States.
  • 1977-78
    Resolved: That the federal government should establish a comprehensive program to regulate the health care in the United States.
  • 1978-79
    Resolved: What should be the energy policy of the United States.
  • 1979-80
    Resolved: That the United States should significantly change its foreign trade policies.
  • 1980-81
    Resolved: That the federal government should initiate and enforce safety guarantees on consumer goods.
  • 1981-82
    Resolved: That the federal government should establish minimum educational standards for elementary and secondary schools in the United States.
  • 1982-83
    Resolved: That the United States should significantly curtail its arms sales to other countries.
  • 1983-84
    Resolved: That the United States should establish uniform rules governing the procedure of all criminal courts in the nation.
  • 1984-85
    Resolved: That the federal government should provide employment for all employable U.S. Citizens living in poverty.
  • 1985-86
    Resolved: That the federal government should establish a comprehensive national policy to protect the quality of water in the United States.
  • 1986-87
    Resolved: That the federal government should implement a comprehensive long-term agricultural policy in the United States.
  • 1987-88
    Resolved: That the United States government should adopt a policy to increase political stability in Latin America.
  • 1988-89
    Resolved: That the federal government should implement a comprehensive program to guarantee retirement security for United States citizens over age 65.
  • 1989-90
    Resolved: That the federal government should adopt a nationwide policy to decrease overcrowding in prisons and jails in the United States.
  • 1990-91
    Resolved: that the United States Government should significantly increase space exploration beyond Earth’s mesosphere.
  • 1991-92
    Resolved: That the federal government should significantly increase social services to homeless individuals in the United States.
  • 1992-93
    Resolved: That the United States government should reduce worldwide pollution through its trade and/or aid policies.
  • 1993-94
    Resolved: That the federal government should guarantee comprehensive national health insurance to all United States citizens.
  • 1994-95
    Resolved: That the United States government should substantially strengthen regulation of immigration to the United States.
  • 1995-96
    Resolved: That the United States government should substantially change its foreign policy toward the People’s Republic of China.
  • 1996-97
    Resolved: That the federal government should establish a program to substantially reduce juvenile crime in the United States.
  • 1997-98
    Resolved: That the federal government should establish a policy to substantially increase renewable energy use in the United States.
  • 1998-99
    Resolved: That the United States should substantially change its foreign policy toward Russia.
  • 1999-00
    Resolved: That the federal government should establish an education policy to significantly increase academic achievement in secondary schools in the United States.
  • 2000-01
    Resolved: That the United States federal government should significantly increase protection of privacy in the United States in one or more of the following areas: employment, medical records, consumer information, search and seizure.
  • 2001-02
    Resolved: That the United States federal government should establish a foreign policy significantly limiting the use of weapons of mass destruction.
  • 2002-03
    Resolved: That the United States federal government should substantially increase public health services for mental health care in the United States.
  • 2003-04
    Resolved: That the United States federal government should establish an ocean policy substantially increasing protection of marine natural resources.

  • Resolved: That the United States federal government should establish a foreign policy substantially increasing its support of United Nations peacekeeping operations.

  • Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially decrease its authority either to detain without charge or to search without probable cause.

  • Resolved: The United States federal government should establish a policy substantially increasing the number of persons serving in one or more of the following national service programs: AmeriCorps, Citizen Corps, Senior Corps, Peace Corps, Learn and Serve America, Armed Forces.

  • Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase its public health assistance to Sub-Saharan Africa.

  • Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase alternative energy incentives in the United States.

  • Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase social services for persons living in poverty in the United States.

  • Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially reduce its military and/or police presence in one or more of the following: South Korea, Japan, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Iraq, Turkey.

  • Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase its exploration and/or development of space beyond the Earth’s mesosphere.

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