Public Forum Debate Topics: 2026-27 NSDA Resolutions Plus 60 Practice Topics

The current NSDA Public Forum topic for November and December 2026 is "Resolved: European members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization should ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons." It replaced the September/October topic, "Resolved: The United States federal government should enact a moratorium on hyperscale data center construction." This page lists both, the Lincoln-Douglas and Policy topics running this season, a few recent past PF topics, and 60 practice public forum debate topics written the way NSDA writes them, each with a note on what each side argues.

Every official resolution below was checked against NSDA, NFHS and debate-camp listings on October 15, 2026. NSDA posts the official wording at speechanddebate.org, so confirm there before you cut a case.

Current NSDA Public Forum Topics (2026-27)

Public Forum uses a new resolution every one or two months. Coaches and students vote between two finalists, and NSDA announces the winner on the first day of the month before the topic goes live. The November/December topic, for example, came out on October 1.

What the Nov/Dec topic is really about. The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons entered into force in January 2021. NATO as an alliance has opposed it, arguing that it clashes with the alliance's nuclear deterrence policy and could weaken the Non-Proliferation Treaty. The Pro side argues that European allies joining would build pressure for disarmament and shrink the risk of nuclear use. The Con side argues that ratifying would split NATO and weaken deterrence against nuclear-armed rivals, without any nuclear state giving up a single warhead. The losing finalist was "The Republic of Korea should pursue an independent nuclear deterrent," so expect some judges to have read up on proliferation in Asia too.

What the Sept/Oct topic was about. Pro teams argued that a national pause on very large data centers would protect electricity prices, water supplies and local communities. Con teams argued that it would push construction overseas and slow AI development. It still makes an excellent practice topic.

For the full speech order, prep-time rules and crossfire strategy, read our public forum debate guide.

NSDA Topics for 2026-27 in Lincoln-Douglas and Policy

These were the active topics in the other two main events as of October 15, 2026.

The Policy topic is chosen differently from PF and LD. NFHS runs a national ballot of state associations, and "Health Insurance" beat "Nuclear Weapons" 23 to 8 in the final round of voting. One resolution then runs all year. LD topics are value questions with no plan, which is why they read more like philosophy prompts. Our guides to Lincoln-Douglas debate and policy debate cover how each format handles its resolution.

Recent Past Public Forum Debate Topics

Past topics make good practice because the research already exists. These three were confirmed from tournament and camp listings:

• November/December 2025: Resolved: The United States federal government should require technology companies to provide lawful access to encrypted communications.
• March 2026: Resolved: The United States federal government should ban corporate acquisition of single-family residences.
• 2026 National Tournament: Resolved: The United States is justified in using force to remove authoritarian leaders from power.

The housing topic is a good example of a resolution that caught up with the news. The U.S. Senate passed a housing bill that included a ban on large institutional investors buying single-family homes in March 2026, while the topic was being debated.

Practice Public Forum Debate Topics

NSDA releases only a handful of resolutions a year. For club meetings and reps between tournaments, use the practice topics below. They follow the style of real PF resolutions (one actor, one action, ground for both sides), but none are official NSDA topics.

Public Forum Debate Topics on the Economy

1. Resolved: The United States federal government should implement a federal job guarantee. Pro says it ends involuntary unemployment and sets a wage floor. Con says it is expensive and could pull workers away from private employers.
2. Resolved: The United States should raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour. Pro argues higher pay for low-wage workers. Con argues lost jobs in low-cost regions and small businesses.
3. Resolved: The United States should eliminate the debt ceiling. Pro says it removes a recurring risk of default. Con says it removes one of the few checks on federal borrowing.
4. Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase tariffs on imports from China. Pro cites national security and domestic manufacturing. Con cites higher consumer prices and retaliation.
5. Resolved: The benefits of a four-day workweek outweigh the harms. Pro points to productivity and well-being. Con points to industries that cannot cut hours without cutting service.
6. Resolved: The United States should adopt a universal basic income. Pro argues it simplifies welfare and cushions automation. Con argues cost and possible effects on work.
7. Resolved: The United States federal government should cancel all federal student loan debt. Pro says relief frees borrowers to buy homes and start businesses. Con says it is unfair to people who repaid or never borrowed.
8. Resolved: Countries should adopt a global minimum corporate tax. Pro says it stops a race to the bottom. Con says it limits how poorer countries compete for investment.
9. Resolved: The United States should ban stock trading by members of Congress. Pro cites conflicts of interest. Con says disclosure rules already work and a ban could deter candidates.

Public Forum Debate Topics on Technology and AI

10. Resolved: The United States federal government should establish a licensing regime for frontier AI models. Pro says high-risk systems need oversight before release. Con says licensing locks in the biggest companies and slows research.
11. Resolved: Social media platforms should be legally liable for content their algorithms recommend. Pro argues platforms profit from what they amplify. Con argues liability would push platforms to over-censor.
12. Resolved: The United States should ban social media accounts for users under 16. Pro cites youth mental health concerns. Con cites free expression and how hard age checks are to enforce.
13. Resolved: The benefits of autonomous vehicles outweigh the harms. Pro argues fewer crashes caused by human error. Con argues job losses for drivers and unclear liability.
14. Resolved: The United States federal government should break up large technology companies. Pro says competition would drive innovation and lower prices. Con says scale produces free services and global competitiveness.
15. Resolved: Law enforcement use of facial recognition technology should be banned. Pro raises privacy and misidentification. Con argues it solves crimes and finds missing people.
16. Resolved: The United States should pass a comprehensive federal data privacy law. Pro wants one clear national standard. Con worries about preempting stronger state laws or burdening small firms.
17. Resolved: Generative AI does more good than harm in education. Pro points to tutoring at scale. Con points to cheating and weaker writing skills.
18. Resolved: The United States should ban TikTok. Pro raises data security and foreign influence. Con raises free speech and the livelihoods of creators.

Public Forum Debate Topics on Foreign Policy

19. Resolved: The United States should reduce its military presence in the Middle East. Pro argues cost and entanglement. Con argues regional stability and deterrence.
20. Resolved: NATO should admit Ukraine as a member. Pro says membership deters future aggression. Con says it risks direct war with a nuclear power.
21. Resolved: The United States should end arms sales to Saudi Arabia. Pro cites humanitarian concerns. Con cites strategic partnership and jobs.
22. Resolved: The United Nations Security Council should abolish the veto power. Pro says the veto blocks action on atrocities. Con says the great powers would leave or ignore the UN without it.
23. Resolved: The United States should rejoin the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Pro argues trade influence in Asia. Con argues lost manufacturing jobs.
24. Resolved: The United States should substantially increase foreign aid to sub-Saharan Africa. Pro argues development and goodwill. Con questions effectiveness and points to domestic needs.
25. Resolved: Japan should revise Article 9 of its constitution to allow a full military. Pro cites regional threats. Con cites pacifist tradition and regional tension.
26. Resolved: The United States should formally recognize Taiwan as an independent country. Pro argues support for a democracy. Con argues it could trigger conflict with China.
27. Resolved: Economic sanctions do more harm than good. Pro says sanctions hurt civilians more than leaders. Con says they are the main tool short of force.

Public Forum Debate Topics on Environment and Energy

28. Resolved: The United States should implement a carbon tax. Pro says it prices pollution efficiently. Con says it raises energy costs for lower-income households.
29. Resolved: The benefits of nuclear power outweigh the harms. Pro cites reliable low-carbon electricity. Con cites waste, cost and accident risk.
30. Resolved: The United States should ban new offshore oil drilling. Pro cites spill risk and climate goals. Con cites energy independence and jobs.
31. Resolved: Developed countries should pay climate reparations to developing countries. Pro argues historical responsibility. Con argues it is hard to calculate and harder to enforce.
32. Resolved: The United States should ban the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035. Pro argues emissions cuts. Con argues charging infrastructure and affordability.
33. Resolved: Geoengineering research should be substantially increased. Pro argues we need a backup plan. Con argues moral hazard and unknown side effects.
34. Resolved: Deep-sea mining should be banned. Pro cites unstudied ecosystems. Con cites demand for battery minerals.
35. Resolved: The United States should substantially expand high-speed rail. Pro cites emissions and congestion. Con cites cost overruns and low ridership outside dense corridors.

Public Forum Debate Topics on Education

36. Resolved: Standardized testing should be eliminated from college admissions. Pro says tests favor students with resources. Con says tests help spot talent at under-resourced schools.
37. Resolved: The United States should make public college tuition-free. Pro argues access and workforce needs. Con argues cost and subsidies for families who could pay.
38. Resolved: School choice programs do more good than harm. Pro argues families deserve options. Con argues funding drains from public schools.
39. Resolved: Schools should ban student cell phones during the school day. Pro cites focus and fewer conflicts. Con cites safety and family contact.
40. Resolved: Legacy preferences in college admissions should be banned. Pro says they entrench privilege. Con says private colleges should set their own priorities.
41. Resolved: Financial literacy should be a high school graduation requirement. Pro says students need it for life. Con says the curriculum is already crowded.
42. Resolved: Year-round schooling would benefit students. Pro argues less summer learning loss. Con argues family schedules and summer jobs.
43. Resolved: Public schools should teach AI literacy in every grade. Pro calls it a basic skill now. Con worries about teacher training and screen time.

Public Forum Debate Topics on Criminal Justice and Government

44. Resolved: The United States should abolish cash bail. Pro says it jails people for being poor. Con says judges need tools to ensure people return for trial.
45. Resolved: The United States should end qualified immunity for police officers. Pro argues accountability. Con argues officers need room to make split-second decisions.
46. Resolved: The United States should abolish the death penalty. Pro cites wrongful convictions. Con cites justice for the worst crimes.
47. Resolved: The United States should lower the voting age to 16. Pro argues civic habits form early. Con argues maturity and outside influence.
48. Resolved: The United States should abolish the Electoral College. Pro wants every vote weighted equally. Con argues it protects smaller states.
49. Resolved: The United States should impose term limits on members of Congress. Pro argues fresh leadership. Con argues lost expertise and more power for lobbyists.
50. Resolved: Supreme Court justices should serve fixed 18-year terms. Pro argues regular appointments. Con argues judicial independence.
51. Resolved: Felons should have their voting rights restored upon release. Pro argues reintegration. Con argues voting is a privilege that can be forfeited.
52. Resolved: The United States should legalize recreational marijuana at the federal level. Pro cites criminal justice reform and tax revenue. Con cites public health and impaired driving.

Easy Public Forum Debate Topics for Novices

These need less research, so first-time debaters can focus on structure, crossfire and weighing.

53. Resolved: Schools should adopt a four-day school week. Pro cites teacher retention. Con cites childcare and learning time.
54. Resolved: Homework should be banned in elementary school. Pro argues play and family time. Con argues practice and routine.
55. Resolved: Professional athletes are overpaid. Pro compares pay to teachers and nurses. Con points to market value and short careers.
56. Resolved: College athletes should be paid salaries by their schools. Pro argues they generate revenue. Con argues it hurts non-revenue sports.
57. Resolved: Zoos do more good than harm. Pro cites conservation programs. Con cites animal welfare.
58. Resolved: Plastic bags should be banned nationwide. Pro cites pollution. Con cites cost and what replaces them.
59. Resolved: Daylight saving time should be made permanent. Pro argues more evening light. Con argues darker winter mornings.
60. Resolved: School uniforms should be required in public schools. Pro argues equality and focus. Con argues self-expression and cost.

For more topics with a government angle, browse our lists of political debate topics and current events debate topics. If you need classroom-friendly options, try high school debate topics.

How to Choose and Use These Topics

Pick for ground, not opinion. A good PF topic gives both sides several solid arguments backed by published evidence. If you can only think of one Con argument, the topic is lopsided and will produce boring rounds.

Keep the actor and action specific. Real PF resolutions name who acts ("The United States federal government") and what they do ("enact a moratorium"). Vague topics like "Technology is bad" let the round drift into definitions.

Prep both sides. In PF you find out your side by coin flip shortly before the round. Write a Pro and a Con case for every practice topic, even when you have a clear personal view.

Practice the speeches that win rounds. Summary and final focus decide most PF rounds. Run drills where you give only those two speeches on a topic, and focus on weighing: why your impact matters more than theirs.

Practice a PF Topic Against an AI Opponent

The fastest way to stress-test a case is to argue it out loud against someone who pushes back. Take a topic from this page, say "The United States should abolish cash bail," and debate it against an AI opponent on Debate Ladder. You give a timed opening, rebuttal and closing, an AI judge scores the round, and your rating moves with each result. It works well for drilling both sides of the current NSDA topic before a tournament.

More Topic Lists

For motions used in parliamentary and British Parliamentary formats, see our list of debate motions. For value questions closer to Lincoln-Douglas, try ethical debate topics. Every topic list on the site is linked from the complete guide to debate topics.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the current Public Forum debate topic? For November and December 2026, the NSDA Public Forum topic is "Resolved: European members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization should ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons." The September/October 2026 topic was a federal moratorium on hyperscale data center construction.

When are new NSDA Public Forum topics released? NSDA announces each Public Forum topic on the first day of the month before it goes live. The November/December 2026 topic came out on October 1, so the January/February 2027 topic is expected on December 1, 2026. Check speechanddebate.org for the official announcement.

How are Public Forum topics chosen? NSDA publishes the full list of potential topic areas after the National Tournament. Before each topic period, coaches and students vote between two finalist resolutions, and the one that wins the vote becomes the official topic.

What is the 2026-27 policy debate topic? The 2026-27 high school policy topic is "Resolved: The United States federal government should establish national health insurance in the United States." It runs for the full season. State associations picked "Health Insurance" over "Nuclear Weapons" in the NFHS final vote.

What makes a good public forum debate topic? A good PF topic names a specific actor and action, has strong published evidence on both sides, and can be understood by a lay judge. It should be narrow enough to research in a month but broad enough that Pro and Con each have several distinct arguments.

Can I use these practice topics at a tournament? No. Sanctioned NSDA tournaments use the official resolution for the current period. The 60 practice topics on this page are for club meetings, scrimmages, classrooms and solo practice.