Model United States Senate
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Model United States Senate (MUSS) is a conference held in Heidelberg, Germany every April for 4 days. High School students from all over DODDS Europe participate to simulate the United States Senate, lobby, pass bills, and have fun.
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[edit] MUSS in the Past
MUSS used to be held in various locations other than the Pavilion in Patrick Henry Village. MUSS was regularly conducted off base with students attending from non-DODDS schools, but after 2001, due to the 9/11 attacks, the conference had to be held on base and the students from the non-DODDS schools were no longer allowed to attend.
[edit] Student Board
MUSS is organized cooperatively by the teacher board and the appointed student board. The student board usually is made up of six students from six different schools, these six students and the teacher board meet in December to organize most of the conference including:
- Creating the theme
- Designing and ordering the T-shirts, pens, folders etc.
- Setting the debate topics
- Suggesting changes to the conference
[edit] The MUSS Conference in April
Every participating team and their coach is expected to arrive at the conference location at a specified time, most of the time between 8-10 pm. As the senators and lobbyists arrive they are told the time frame in which they are expected to lobby. Lobbyist represent interest groups, government agencies or any organization that wishes to push for a specific act or bill.
[edit] MUSS 2007
The student board for the 2007 MUSS conference met in Wiesbaden, Germany on Dec. 7th through the 8th and went fast to work. The theme chosen was "Freedom's Future: A New Direction for America" to commemorate the Democratic Party winning the majority in the House and Senate. The student board also designed the T-shirt and set the debate topics.
[edit] Floyd M. Riddick Model United States Senate at Stetson University
Stetson University hosts the United States first and oldest college-level Model United States Senate program every year in March. Each year, students from colleges and universities around the nation gather at Stetson University for this three-day event. The F.M.R. Model U.S. Senate reproduces the actual procedures and activities of the United States Senate in an effort to provide experience and education for the student participants. Each student is assigned a Senator in one of five legislative committees and is responsible for researching a variety of bills and crafting appropriate amendments. In addition, the Model Senate attracts national speakers and lecturers, including former and sitting United States Senators. Floyd M. Riddick Model U.S. Senate Website
