The following is taken from the PMC website...
PMC History
Princeton Model Congress is the oldest model congress in America.
Its inaugural conference took place in 1982 in New York City under
the leadership of a group of students from the
American Whig-Cliosophic
Society, which is the world’s oldest college literary,
political, and debate society. At our annual conference high school
students under the direction of Princeton undergraduates simulate
all three branches of the Federal Government of the United States of
America. Our conference has evolved, expanded and relocated to our
nation’s capital Washington, DC over the course of the last quarter
century. Currently, Princeton Model Congress offers high school
students the opportunity to simulate the experience of serving in
Congress, sitting on the bench as a Supreme Court Justice,
counseling our Commander in Chief as a member of the Presidential
Cabinet or covering the Federal Government in print as a part of the
Press Corp. Our conference draws approximately 1,200 participants
from all across the political spectrum and from all over the
country. And our conference takes place just down the street from
Capital Hill—literally a five-minute walk away—so that our
participants experience an added dimension of realism that no other
model congress in America offers. They also have the opportunity to
explore the multitude of attractions that our nation’s capital has
to offer. Yet although Princeton Model Congress has made many
improvements and expansions in the last twenty-five years, we
certainly have not lost sight of our initial goal: to foster civic
engagement among American high school students.
Our Location's Unique Features
Our location in Washington, DC differentiates us from other model
congresses in America and it is one of the many aspects of our
conference that generates glowing feedback from both our high school
participants and their teachers year after year. Princeton Model
Congress takes place at the Hyatt Regency on Capital Hill, which
gives our delegates the opportunity to visit attractions such as the
United States Capital Building, the White House, the Smithsonian
Museums, and the United States Supreme Court during their half-day
break from a four-day schedule packed with rigorous debate and other
activities. And our conference is just a five-minute walk away from
Union Station, which provides a wide variety of affordable and
easily accessible dining options in its food court. Proximity to
Union Station also makes transportation to the conference
straightforward. Another advantage of being in the heart of
Washington DC is our ability to attract keynote speakers from the
highest levels of American government. While our delegates debate
our nation’s future, they have a unique opportunity to hear from the
men and women who are determining it. Recent Princeton Model
Congress keynote speakers include political giants like Paul
Wolfowitz and Ralph Nader.
The Structure of Our Conference
Princeton Model Congress is composed of four distinct congresses
and four Special Programs. The Red, White, Blue, and Orange
Congresses each have a Senate and a House of Representatives, with
six Senate committees and seven House committees in each Congress.
Our delegates are not required to take on the roles of current
representatives or to represent state interests because although
arguing for assigned views is a valuable rhetorical exercise, it
generates debate that is less well informed and less passionate than
debate among people espousing their true convictions. At Princeton
Model Congress delegates research and write their own bills on
topics pertinent to their committee and based on their individual
interests. Bills that pass in Committee Sessions are brought before
Full Sessions, where the Congressional Senate or House of
Representatives convene. And bills that pass in Full Sessions are
sent to the President of Princeton Model Congress to be signed or
vetoed. All Committee Sessions and Full Sessions are moderated by
Princeton University undergraduates according to Robert’s Rules of
Order. The four Special Programs at Princeton Model Congress are
President of Princeton Model Congress, Presidential Cabinet, Supreme
Court and Press Corps. Candidates for the Presidency of Princeton
Model Congress are selected by application and then the conference’s
delegates vote to select their Commander in Chief. The President
presides over the Presidential Cabinet, which debates policy
initiatives and resolves crisis scenarios. The Supreme Court studies
constitutional law and rules on several cases. And the Press Corps
covers all aspects of the conference, producing several editions of
a Princeton Model Congress Newsletter.