NFHS EXTEMPORANEOUS SPEAKING TOPICS

January 2023

Domestic

Closed-Ended

1. Will the Respect for Marriage Act succeed in preventing states from attempting to place restrictions on marriage rights?

2. Will Special Counsel, Jack Smith, succeed in bringing charges against President Trump’s closest supporters?

3. Will the release of Britney Griner be a political win for the Biden administration?

4. Has Donald Trump lost his influence over Congressional Republicans?

5. Should female inmates who are victims of sexual violence receive early release from prison?

6. Will Ronna McDaniel lose the leadership fight in the Republican National Committee?

7. Has Elon Musk revealed himself to be a political conservative?

8. Will Twitter survive the leadership of Elon Musk?

9. Will the successful flight of Artemis I ensure continued support for a manned mission to the Moon?

10. Can Kari Lake succeed in overturning her defeat in the Arizona governor’s race?

11. With the announcement of his presidential candidacy, will Donald Trump scare other viable Republicans out of the race?

12. Was the Biden Administration wise in trading Viktor Bout for Brittney Griner?

13. Will the repeal of the military vaccine mandate result in a significant increase in military COVID cases?

Open-Ended

1. What steps can the CDC take to curtail the growing number of hospitalizations caused by respiratory illnesses?

2. How long will it take for recent breakthroughs in nuclear fusion to turn into real energy gains?

3. What can the Ulvade Texas Police do to restore the public’s confidence in the department?

4. What explains the recent surge in illegal crossings across the U.S.-Mexico border?

5. What will be the significance of Kyrsten Sinema’s defection from the Democratic Party?

6. What message does Hershel Walker’s loss in Georgia send about Donald Trump’s chances for reelection?

7. What steps can local authorities take to minimize the spread of Fentanyl?

8. What steps must Kevin McCarthy take to bring the far-right members of the House Republican caucus under control?

9. What must Republicans do to wrest control over America’s suburbs from Democrats?

10. What actions have caused the cooling of inflation in the United States?

11. What is delaying the launch of a Congressional COVID commission?

12. What can the state of Louisiana do to ensure that prisoners whose terms have ended are released on time?

International

Closed-Ended

1. Will the decision of the African National Congress not to hold impeachment inquiries into their president undermine the party’s credibility with the South African people?

2. Should the widespread hunger in Somalia be officially defined as a famine?

3. Will the peace deal between Sudan’s military and a coalition of political groups succeed in restoring democratic rule?

4. Is Peruvian democracy in jeopardy?

5. Has El Salvador’s State of Emergency succeeded in reducing violence there?

6. Can the feuding sides in Venezuela’s political system find common ground?

7. Will cross-border clashes between India and China break-out into full-blown war?

8. Will China’s loosening of its zero COVID policy reverse discontent by the Chinese people?

9. Will Belarus join Russia in its fight in Ukraine?

10. Can Sweden and Finland convince Turkey to allow them to join NATO?

11. Does FIFA regret its selection of Qatar as this year’s World Cup host?

12. Will pro-Russian forces threaten the rule of Moldova’s government?

13. Is the United States government choosing to ignore the Saudi Crown Prince’s role in the killing of Jamal Kashoggi?

Open-Ended

1. What countries are winning the race to influence African nations?

2. Why did the United States finally recognize the sovereignty of the Cook Islands?

3. Why has there been a sudden increase in emigration from Cuba?

4. How will the fraud conviction of Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner impact Argentina’s balance of power?

5. What must the Biden administration do to organize a multinational force for the protection of Haiti?

6. How will Chinese nuclear cooperation with Persian Gulf nations change United States influence there?

7. How will the sale of Patriot batteries to Ukraine impact the conflict with Russia?

8. How will the emerging ruling coalition in Israel influence the military chain of command?

9. How will Iran’s decision to disband its morality police impact the widespread protests there?

10. What does the growth in cocaine production say about the effectiveness of the global war on drugs?

11. What steps can be taken to strengthen economic ties between China and Japan?

12. What must Britain’s Labour Party do if it wishes to secure new social rights for the British people?