NFHS EXTEMPORANEOUS SPEAKING TOPICS

September 2023

Domestic

Closed-Ended

1. Will pending charges against Donald Trump impact the prospects of his rivals for the GOP presidential nomination?

2. Has the federal government’s response to the wildfires in Hawaii been adequate?

3. Will Senator Joe Manchin launch an independent bid for President?

4. Should the American restaurant industry change the culture of tipping wait staff?

5. Will Rudy Giuliani and other co-defendants in the Georgia election case turn on Donald Trump and testify against him?

6. Will the Energy Department’s investments in carbon removal have a substantial impact on US climate efforts?

7. Are “Robotaxis” a safe form of transportation?

8. Is America’s energy infrastructure capable of handling the strain of progressively hotter temperatures?

9. Are past statements by Robert Kennedy, Jr., negatively impacting his credibility as a presidential candidate?

10. Should American universities ban “legacy admissions”?

11. Will new efforts by the Biden administration to protect student loan borrowers survive court challenges?

12. Will House Republicans succeed in their efforts to Impeach President Biden?

13. Should Americans be concerned about the uptick in COVID-19 cases this summer?

Open-Ended

1. With changing climate conditions, what steps can the United States take to better prepare for future wildfire seasons?

2. What steps can prosecutors take to insulate judicial proceedings involving Donald Trump from succumbing to the influence of the media?

3. What steps will Hawaii need to take to rebuild the tourism industry after the recent wildfires?

4. How will Hunter Biden’s continued legal troubles impact his father’s presidential campaign?

5. What can we learn about American culture from the great success of The Barbie Movie?

6. How will educational reforms in the state of Florida impact the quality of student learning?

7. What impact is the Inflation Reduction Act likely to have on US climate strategy?

8. What is the significance of the ruling in the Montana Youth Climate Trial?

9. What impact will climate change have on American agriculture?

10. How will the Supreme Court’s decision to end Affirmative Action in college admissions impact efforts to make higher education more diverse?

11. How will a Texas judge’s ruling, stating that the state’s abortion law is too restrictive, impact similar laws in other states?

12. What steps can the United States take to promote the expansion of offshore wind farming?

International

Closed-Ended

1. Will Germany’s decision to legalize cannabis lead to other European nations following suit?

2. Can AI technologies flourish in China?

3. Is Argentina likely to have a far-right government after this fall’s elections?

4. Is Israel’s democracy in danger?

5. Are drones making a difference in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine?

6. Does the presence of Wagner Group forces in western Belarus pose a threat to Poland?

7. Will India’s increasing anti-Muslim actions increase tensions between India and Pakistan?

8. Will China’s threatening moves around Taiwan have a significant impact on upcoming Taiwanese elections?

9. Does the United States need to continue friendly relations with a Saudi Arabia increasingly at odds with US policies?

10. What steps must be taken to protect against human rights abuses by peacekeepers deployed to Haiti?

11. Will Justin Trudeau’s divorce have any consequences for his popularity with the Canadian public?

12. Does the decision of Myanmar’s government to shorten the sentence of Aung San Suu Kyi signal they may be moving toward her release from detention?

Open-Ended

1. What steps must Libyan factions take to bring violence to an end there?

2. How will North Korea exploit the defection of American soldier, Travis King?

3. How will a rise in Koran burning in Nordic countries impact already chilly relations with Turkey?

4. What steps can the Cambodian government take to address the continued dangers posed by unexploded landmines?

5. What steps can Pakistan’s caretaker Prime Minister take to strengthen the nation’s struggling democracy?

6. What must West African states do to return Niger’s democratic government to power?

7. What are the lasting implications of the Wagner Group’s aborted rebellion against Russia’s government?

8. How should NATO react if Russia uses tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine?

9. How will Russia’s withdrawal from an agreement on the export of Ukraine’s grain impact global food prices?

10. What steps must the Chinese government take to spur growth in the nation’s economy?

11. What steps must be taken to resolve the water dispute between Iran and Afghanistan?

12. What steps must Pakistan’s government take to curtail jihadist attacks?

13. What steps can be taken to prevent Russian actions in Ukraine from accidentally spilling-over into NATO territory?