District II Extemp Topics

Informative Speaking Prelims

1. Why has the flu outbreak been worse than COVID this winter?

2. What is different about the dietary guidelines newly released by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy?

3. How have other countries been impacted by the U.S./Israel strikes on Iran?

4. Why did Joe Kent step down as Director of the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center?

5. What factors affected the 2026 Texas Spring Break tourism industry?

6. What are the most immediate challenges facing U.S. Border Czar Tom Homan?

7. How has the partial government shutdown affected the Transportation Safety Administration?

8. How do Democrat and Republican lawmakers differ in their views of voter identification guidelines?

9. How is U.S. engagement in the Middle East affecting American assistance to Ukraine?

10. Why has the United States engaged in military operations in Ecuador?

11. To what extent does the US military establishment rely on artificial intelligence?

12. What are the latest political developments in Venezuela?

13. Under what circumstances will the Texas Education Agency take over local school districts?

14. How has the current conflict between the U.S. and Iran affected international petroleum supply chains?

15. What problems have parents encountered with the Texas school voucher program?

16. Where are most U.S. sanctuary cities located?

17. Why is the Trump administration initiating legal challenges to California’s automobile emissions policies?

18. What are the potential drawbacks to reliance on wind power as a source of renewable energy?

19. What factors are accounting for the creation of new jobs in the healthcare systems?

20. What is the United States seeking to accomplish with Operation Epic Fury?

Informative Speaking Finals

1. How has Canada responded to tariffs imposed by the United States?

2. Why is Russia attempting to influence the political direction of Moldova?

3. How is Japan undergoing an historic military transformation?

4. How has political polarization affected democracy in the United States?

5. What are the causes of lingering instability in South Sudan?

6. Why are United Nations officials concerned about a potential hunger crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo?

7. Why are oil prices spiking?

8. What is the legacy of the life of the Reverend Jesse Jackson for America’s civil rights movement?

9. What do we now know about the March shooting at Old Dominion University?

10. What major challenges are U.S. travelers facing in 2026?

11. How are low approval ratings impeding the White House agenda?

12. What have been the challenges in the search for Nancy Guthrie?

13. What are the objectives for the State Water Implementation Fund for Texas (SWIFT)?

14. How has the International Space Station contributed to NASA’s long-term objectives?

15. What are the key functions of data centers?

16. What is the Pink Tide?

17. How has Pope Leo addressed universal healthcare?

18. Who may be potential presidential candidates for the Democratic Party in 2028?

19. What is the status of current White House renovation projects?

20. What is the SAVE America Act and why is it so controversial?

Persuasive Speaking Prelims

1. Should parents be held legally accountable for their children who commit mass shootings?

2. Does Iran have a stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz?

3. Is AI connected to the rise in unemployment of recent college graduates for entry-level jobs?

4. Does the U.S. need a Department of Education?

5. Will the midterm elections be “disastrous” for Republicans?

6. Is the federal government more efficient than when President Trump took office?

7. Is the climate crisis linked to health issues?

8. Is the Democratic Party gaining momentum among Texas voters?

9. Are advances in artificial intelligence technology contributing to the U.S. unemployment rate?

10. Do charter schools play a vital role with respect to secondary education in Texas?

11. Does the U.S. federal government have a responsibility to help resolve college tuition debt?

12. Is violence, fueled by anti-Semitic rhetoric, posing a threat in the United States?

13. Russia or China: Which poses the greatest challenges for U.S. foreign policy planners in the current White House administration?

14. Is criticism of Attorney General Pam Bondi by Democratic lawmakers justified?

15. Is the U.S. War Powers Act in need of reform?

16. Do President Trump’s rank-and-file supporters favor U.S. military action against Iran?

17. Should Americans be concerned about potential economic ramifications of climate change?

18. Are current Middle East military operations dangerously depleting the U.S. defense capability?

19. Is Canadian Prime Minister Carney justified in his criticism of the United States?

20. Is Brazil the dominant economic force in South America?

Persuasive Speaking Finals

1. Based on the latest data, is the current state of the home-building industry of America healthy?

2. Should the United States reconsider its current relationship with NATO?

3. Is the U.S. Department of Justice in a state of transition?

4. Does “affordability” continue to be a serious concern for middle-class American families?

5. Is the United Nations opposed to Israel’s “annexation” policies?

6. Should NATO members continue to purchase petroleum products from Russia?

7. Does the United States benefit from its alignment with Israel?

8. Are hurricane seasons getting worse?

9. Are calls for a regime change in Cuba justified?

10. Will rising gasoline prices promote energy conservation on the part of consumers?

11. Will the use of nanotechnology in the field of medicine enhance diagnostic accuracy?

12. Is the effectiveness of the U.S. Department of Education on the decline?

13. Is Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger emerging as a national leader in the Democratic Party?

14. Will the investigation into the 2024 failure of the Boeing Starline change NASA’s approach to oversight of its contractors?

15. Is American support for Israel dividing factions of the Republican Party?

16. With the expiration of the last nuclear arms reduction treaties, is the U.S. in increased danger?

17. Will Canada succeed in its plans to develop military independence from American arms manufacturers?

18. Will the Supreme Court ruling on President Trump’s tariff authority impact the U.S. economy?

19. What must the leaders of Peru do to bring stability to their government?

20. What must the European members of NATO do if they wish to mount a credible deterrent to Russia without the United States?