Policy Debate: Historical Resolutions

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.

2004-2005

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

2005-2006

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

2006-2007

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.

2007-2008

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

2008-2009

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

2009-2010

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