US-NSCRules of Procedure Udhav Krishna Issued by the President of the United States please add your friends who are going to be part of the council. Let us act wise and make our nation proud and let the decisions taken be ever etched in the memories of the generations to come and serve as a source of inspiration to them. Page | 1 .Letter from the President Dear Delegates. It is necessary for the United States to act quickly and decisively to avoid another war and put a stop to the unnecessary loss of innocent lives in both the regions. Regards. President of the National Security Council PS: It is necessary and absolutely important for each and every single one of you to join the US-NSC group on Facebook. Udhav Krishna. To effectively simulate an unorthodox committee such as the United States. the Crimean Crisis involving Russia and Ukraine and the Crisis in Iraq owing to the recent development over the past couple of months. it was important to devise a set of rules of procedure. that is. Please take note of every single word in the following document and please do not hesitate to ask me any doubts and clarify them immediately. As this council is part of a MUN we will be following a similar procedure to make it easier for everyone. President of the United States. I look forward to hearing your valuable suggestions regarding the issue and possible solutions. If you are already a part of it.National Security Council whose proceedings are behind the scenes and unknown to common man. We thought it was important to understand two most pressing issues for the US foreign policy team. The following ROP is a slight variation of the standard UNA USA set of procedure. It is my pleasure to welcome each and one of you to this year’s SANMUN. Considering the role that United States plays in international affairs and global politics we thought it fit to simulate the organ that is responsible for the framing of the United States Foreign policy. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (adviser for military) and Head of National Drug Control Policy (adviser on drug policies). The head of the NSC is the President of the United States of America who chairs all its meetings. Statutory members include the Vice President. the NSC was joined with the Homeland Security Council to form the National Security Staff. Depending on the subject of discussion. Secretary of State. Any military action. Attorney General and Deputy National Security Adviser. Page | 2 . The attendees include White House Chief of Staff. Advisers include Director of National Intelligence (adviser for Intelligence). participants like the Secretary of the Treasury and Homeland Security Adviser join in. The Council consists of statutory and non-statutory members. Post the 9/11 attacks. It also assists with policy coordination across government agencies and the armed force. Defense and Energy. or policy decisions ranging from tax to healthcare take place with the help of the NSC. Under the Obama administration. the NSC gained importance. National Security Adviser. There are nearly 50 other staff who comprise of advisers and escorts. participants like the Secretary of the Treasury and Homeland Security Adviser join in. The NSC is aimed at ensuring cooperation between the Army. Depending on the subject of discussion.What is the US-NSC? The US-NSC is a conference of officials and senior secretaries of the USA that provides advice and assistance to the President on national security and foreign policy matters. Navy and Air force and other police agencies. It was formed in 1947 (especially as there was lack of uniform policy on important issues) under the National Security Act in response to the Pearl Harbor attack. . especially working groups in order to ensure all of our offices are working in conjunction towards our goals as a nation.Weigh the positives and negatives attributes of a situation and the decisions made on said situation.Make quick and deliberate decisions in order that they can be pushed down the National bureaucracy and implemented effectively. the NSC meets. dealing with both foreign policy and the state of the nation. however. during times when there is a National crisis that requires the decisions of the high level officials and all those in the Federal government as the President sees fit.The main objectives of the National Security Council are as follows: . .Set forth clear directives to the rest of the national bureaucracy.Set the tone of the nation and maintain a voice of leadership in a time of uncertainty The President typically meets with the NSC in weekly meetings along with statutory members to be briefed on foreign policy related issues. . Page | 3 . the delegate can yield the remaining time for Points of Information and comments.Speakers List A Speakers List is very much similar to a General Speakers list. A moderated caucus is formal Page | 4 . It is not mandatory to do so. A Speakers List speech shall be by default 90 seconds. Moderated Caucus In a moderated caucus. Caucuses USNSC also shall have MUN styled caucuses to facilitate substantial debate in committee. the EB will temporarily depart from the Speakers List and call on delegates to raise a motion for a moderated caucus. Moderated and Unmoderated. the GSL speech time can be changed by introducing a motion. Note. a list of all the delegates who wish to give a speech on the agenda that is being discussed. Caucuses in general of two types. the minimum Speakers List speech time may 60 seconds and maximum is 120 seconds. After completing his/her speech. However. but it will be taken into consideration for evaluative purposes. discussion on the issues related to the main agenda and of great importance. It is permitted for one delegate to speak more than once on one moderated caucus topic.If no delegate wishes to speak during a moderated caucus. The delegates of USNSC will be briefed on the Resolution making process and voting procedure in committee by the President of the council. Page | 5 . points and other ROP Please refer the delegate manual. prior to closure of debate. not to exceed twenty minutes. The motion will immediately be put to a vote and will pass given a simple majority. It can be a subdivision of the agenda too. if it fails the next is voted upon). The delegate making the motion must specify a time limit and a topic of discussion for the Caucus. the Chair will rank the motions in descending order of length. Unmoderated Caucus A delegate may motion for an Unmoderated caucus at any time when the floor is open. A motion for a moderated caucus is in order at any time when the floor is open. Three topics shall be taken and will be voted on the order of precedence (longest time with lowest speaking time is voted on first. An Unmoderated caucus can be extended by re-introducing and voting on it. The motion for the moderated caucus must be stated along with the total time (maximum of minutes) and individual speaker time that each speaker will get to speak. and the Committee members will vote accordingly. The Chair may rule the motion out of order. the caucus shall immediately end. Extensions for the time period of the moderated caucus can be brought forward as a motion to extend the moderated caucus once the original time period is nearing its end. Motions. In the case of multiple Unmoderated caucuses. that contains important information that the delegates feel necessary to be shared with the President (from the point of view of their respective posts or department of which they are the head). ● Make sure to present opinions as opinions and NOT as facts. while still including the most relevant content. and faulty causation. be accurate. and professional manner. But the opinions that are presented should also be substantiated. Rather it is required that the delegates of different departments write and present a memo. The suggested solutions and recommendations can also be brought forward for discussion in committee through a moderated caucus or in the delegate’s speaker list speech. ● Avoid logical fallacies such as appeals to authority. A memo or a policy memo in this case is normally a document whose main purpose is to provide analysis and/or recommendations regarding a certain issue. Memos should. An important differentiating criteria between a policy memo and a position paper is that a policy memo can contain personal opinions and not just facts. organized. Policy memos are written so that readers can efficiently access fact-based information in order to make an informed decision. Here are some things to keep in mind when writing a memo: ● Present the most relevant information and state your main ideas and any recommendations clearly. hasty generalizations.Position Papers Delegates of USNSC will not need to write position papers. When citing facts in-text. It must be a concise and precise and convey critical information to the reader in an efficient manner. It can be informal. but it is recommended that the delegates adhere to one of the standard procedure/ formatting used by US state departments for the same purpose. Page | 6 . Opinions presented should also be substantiated. slippery slope arguments. ● Use logic and facts to support each of your main points and/or to refute opposing points. therefore. try to inform the audience in a concise. use size 14 Times New Roman font in accordance with US government requirements Sample Template for a Policy Memo To: The President of the United States From: XXX Subject: XXX Date: XXX Summary (Executive summary depending on the post of the delegate) • What is the issue? • Why is a decision needed? • What key information is contained in this memorandum? • What course of action is recommended? Background Brief. along with the pros and cons of each? • What are the approximate financial costs of each option? • What are the political risks and potential opposition that might result from choosing an option? Recommendation Your recommended course of action and why Page | 7 . essential points that explain how this issue has evolved or become a concern Issues • What are the key issues to be addressed by the Deputy Minister—one to three at most? • What position(s) have others taken on these issues? Options • What are the plausible courses of action.● Restrict the length of the document to a maximum of 2-3 pages. Page | 8 .Submission of Policy Memo Policy memo must be submitted on or before the day of the MUN. the Secretary of State is the chief of the Department of State and the president’s chief advisor for international relations. USAID.S. national security infrastructure to offer diplomatic options for the president. Role of Different positions Secretary of State The chief diplomat of the United States. and America’s representation within international institutions. to include the country’s diplomatic missions abroad. Policy memos will be accepted till the end of the first session beyond which it will be considered that the delegate has failed to submit a policy memo. its diplomatic intelligence resources. SECSTATE controls a myriad of assets. SECSTATE must coordinate among these assets and with other organizations within the U. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff The highest ranking officer in the US military. he focuses on coordinating efforts between the respective heads of the four branches of the US military (Army. Page | 9 .Secretary of Defense The civilian head of the United States’ largest bureaucracy. the Chairman of the JCS is the chief military advisor to both the President of the United States (POTUS) and the SECDEF. Instead. SECDEF is the administrative leader charged with supporting and coordinating the Armed Forces. and the logistical infrastructure that supports these. Air Force. Navy. he does not hold command over any particular unit or branch in the military. While he outranks all other officers. Though an executive. the Secretary of Defense will be challenged with coordinating among combatant commands and subordinate intelligence agencies to provide the president with military solutions to the evolving crisis. defense intelligence assets. and Marines). national security. the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). Additionally. making him/her the chief law enforcement officer and the chief lawyer in the US government. Page | 10 . including the DoJ National Security Division. his ability to influence them and project his power has continued to be limited since the position was formed back in 2005. and the Bureau of Alcohol. and Firearms (ATF). Tobacco.Director of National Intelligence The DNI is the principal advisor to the President on issues relating to intelligence. While the DNI technically “outranks” the heads of the various intelligence agencies. Organizations under the DoJ include the FBI. the DoJ Criminal Division. or both. the group of sixteen government agencies that conduct intelligence operations relating to foreign relations. and the DoJ Antitrust Division. The Department coordinates these distinct agencies through several department divisions. Attorney General The Attorney General is the head of the Department of Justice (DoJ). he/she leads the intelligence community. In the process of writing policy and responding to crises. and provide pointed policy advise to the President on demand. immigration.S. The NSA is an expert on foreign relations and masterful orchestrator of policy. power. as well as typical courses of action taken against the Homeland Security system no matter whether they are physical or cyber-attacks. liaise among the organs of U. Page | 11 . the NSA can be tasked to run working groups. The Secretary informs the president on issues that threaten our borders as well as the projected implications of different policy on our security. and cyber security.National Security Adviser The President’s advisor on national security affairs. The secretary must be aware of possible terrorist response to different actions taken by the U. border security. Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security The Department of homeland security covers a multitude of issue including counterterrorism.S. the National Security Advisor will be responsible for organizing balanced strategic options and providing courses of action for the President. Secretary of Defense. Secretary of State.Besides the posts mentioned here there are lot of other relevant posts and each and every post allotted is somehow or the other important for maintaining National Security. Director of National Intelligence are people who have high authority in the structure of Federal government of the United States. For the convenience of all the delegates I have grouped the posts and the duties of the respective holders of the posts as follows: Assistants and Deputy Assistants to the President All the people with a prefix or suffix as above belong to one of the most important people in maintaining national security. Heads of CIA. But please remember that you represent the best interests of your posts as a member of the National Security Council. Special Assistant to the President Special assistants are considered expert of a particular field and specialise in one area. IMPORATANT NOTE Allotment of posts is merely a formality. Page | 12 . They play a major role within USNSC. DHS. For example Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Non-Proliferation is a person who is considered with high regard and with high authority with respect to his field. They are normally associated with posts that explicitly involve only issues of national security. It is okay to give personal opinion on an issue and it is advised that you do to help make the simulation more realistic. Joint chief of staffs. It is imperative that all are well versed on both the crises at hand as our discussions shall be based on the two crises and that is all that matters. in this case Non-Proliferation. It is also necessary for a delegate to clearly understand the significance of the post and act accordingly. responsible for their respective departments and majority reporting directly to the President of the United States. All the other members such as Attorney General. Instead of resolutions. Other members of the NSC need not be consented for passing an executive order. Once the President receives it. it shall be subjected to vote and needs the approval of majority (>50%) of the votes to be passed. the members shall draft a recommendations in the format of a resolution to concerned departments for implementing changes suggested in council. Then if and only if the President approves it. The President has a VETO right in such matters. Minimum of 2 Co-submitters will be mandatory for carrying out any executive order. Presidential Study Directives Presidential Policy Directives A PDD requires one main submitter and 2 co submitters for it to be considered by the President.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Page | 13 .Executive orders & Directives Executive orders can be passed by any head of departments carrying instructions to implement changes in their respective departments after the President gives approval. Presidential Directives. The directives articulate the executive's national security policy and carry the "full force and effect of law". better known as Presidential Decision Directives (or PDDs) are a form of an executive order issued by the President of the United States with the advice and consent of the National Security Council. Resolutions Unlike normal MUN committees NSC will not be having a resolution as such. National Security Council Resolution DATE xx/xx/xxxx Presidential Policy Directive -. It shall lay equal importance on the perambulatory clauses because it indicates the foreign policy or stance taken by the NSC on an issue and is as important as decisions that were suggested/implemented by a resolution. will it be considered to have been passed by the entire council. Minimum number of votes required to pass a clause shall be 2/3rd of the committee followed by the President’s vote. Disclaimer The information that I have furnished is true to the best of my knowledge.PRESIDENTIAL POLICY DIRECTIVE/PPD-xx SUBJECT: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Perambulatory Clauses [according to normal MUN procedure] Operative Clauses [according to normal MUN procedure] Voting Procedure on Resolutions A maximum of one resolution shall be accepted and voting shall be done clause by clause only. Udhav Krishna PRESIDENT (8939348928) Prarthana Prakash VICE PRESIDENT (8056060330) Anirudh Raghuram DIRECTOR (9962037369) Page | 14 . Any decision that I make in the council shall supersede whatsoever that may be mentioned in this document. Only if a clause manages to fulfil both criteria will it be considered to be a part of the final resolution. The resolution shall not be voted upon as a single document. I shall try my best to fulfil my duties entrusted to me and keep the trust bestowed upon me to my fullest capabilities. But errors may be contained within the document that the delegates are to overlook owing to the fact that I am merely a human.