NFHS EXTEMPORANEOUS SPEAKING TOPICS

January 2022

Domestic

Closed-Ended

1. Was Elon Musk an appropriate choice for Time’s Person of the Year?

2. Is the 2022 election likely to turn the Senate to Republican control?

3. Should Joe Manchin switch his membership to the Republican Party?

4. Will the spread of the COVID-19 Omicron variant push state governors to impose lockdowns in their states?

5. Does the US have an obligation to address poverty and instability in Haiti?

6. Can Indianapolis’ investment in anti-homicide strategies be a model for other cities?

7. Have sentences for January 6 insurrection participants been too lenient?

8. Between school shootings and pandemic protocols, is it time to fundamentally rethink how K-12 education is delivered?

9. Is climate change a threat to US financial stability?

10. Should American universities become permanently “test optional”?

11. Is it inappropriate for the GOP to be paying former President Trump’s legal bills?

12. Should the United States reduce its nuclear stockpile?

13. Can the US justice department achieve an equitable settlement with families separated at the border?

Open-Ended

1. If Stephen Breyer retires from the Supreme Court, who should President Biden nominate to replace him?

2. What steps can the United States government take to increase COVID-19 vaccine use including booster shots?

3. How will the significant number of confirmations of President Biden’s judicial nominees impact the future of federal courts?

4. What steps can the United States military take to reduce civilian deaths in its overseas airstrikes?

5. How will public perceptions of President Biden’s performance impact the 2022 elections?

6. How will redistricting efforts in the states impact the representation of African Americans in government?

7. How can the United States increase the availability of affordable COVID testing?

8. What role can the federal government play in filling the significant gaps in employment in the US economy?

9. What can the medical profession do to keep up with the high demand for mental health services?

10. How is President Biden’s position toward Ukraine impacting America’s image abroad?

11. What can Congress do to better compel cooperation by Trump allies in the January 6th congressional investigation?

12. What can the Federal Reserve do to control rising inflation?

International

Closed-Ended

1. Can Carrie Lam earn a second term as Hong Kong’s leader?

2. Are the Taliban exhibiting a more tolerant perspective with respect to education and cultural expression in Afghanistan?

3. Can economic sanctions on key industries move China to take a softer position on human rights?

4. Would Japan be pulled into any future conflict between China and Taiwan?

5. Is the closer relationship between China and Russia a threat to global security?

6. Is Russia likely to invade Ukraine?

7. Will India’s court decision to provide benefits to sex workers result in a political backlash there?

8. Will Roderigo Duterte go quietly from Philippine politics at the end of his Presidency?

9. Should South Korea pursue the development of nuclear submarines?

10. Is French politics shifting to the right?

11. Should NATO stop its westward expansion?

12. Is Boris Johnson’s UK premiership in danger?

13. Can the Netherlands make its new governing coalition work?

Open-Ended

1. Why is Russia blocking the UN’s efforts to have climate change classified a world security threat?

2. What parties are the most responsible for human rights violations in the current Ethiopian conflict?

3. Would more support for African nations in their fight against COVID-19 have slowed the spread of the Omicron variant?

4. What can the Congo do to improve conditions in its Cobalt mines?

5. How will Gabriel Boric’s youth impact his ability to be successful as Chile’s president?

6. Why are many Canadians moving to the country’s Atlantic provinces?

7. How will the widespread use of Lithium in electric vehicles change Bolivia’s economy?

8. What will be the impact of New Zealand’s coming ban on cigarettes?

9. What must NATO do to conclude a workable security deal with Russia?

10. What will be the impact of western nations cutting Russia off from the SWIFT banking system?

11. What can the global community do to help rebuild Afghanistan’s health care system?

12. Who is in the best position to bring unity to Libya?