US-NSC

Rules of Procedure

Udhav Krishna Issued by the President of the United States

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Letter from the President

Dear Delegates,

It is my pleasure to welcome each and one of you to this years 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.

To effectively simulate an unorthodox committee such as the United States- National

Security Council whose proceedings are behind the scenes and unknown to common

man, it was important to devise a set of rules of procedure. As this council is part of a

MUN we will be following a similar procedure to make it easier for everyone. The

following ROP is a slight variation of the standard UNA USA set of procedure. 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.

We thought it was important to understand two most pressing issues for the US foreign

policy team, that is, the Crimean Crisis involving Russia and Ukraine and the Crisis in Iraq

owing to the recent development over the past couple of months. 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. I look forward to hearing your

valuable suggestions regarding the issue and possible solutions. 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.

Regards,

Udhav Krishna,

President of the United States, 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. If you are already a part of it, please add your friends

who are going to be part of the council.

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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. It also assists with policy coordination across government agencies

and the armed force. 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.

The NSC is aimed at ensuring cooperation between the Army, Navy and Air force

and other police agencies. Under the Obama administration, the NSC was joined

with the Homeland Security Council to form the National Security Staff. The head

of the NSC is the President of the United States of America who chairs all its

meetings. The Council consists of statutory and non-statutory members. Statutory

members include the Vice President, Secretary of State, Defense and Energy.

Advisers include Director of National Intelligence (adviser for Intelligence),

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (adviser for military) and Head of National

Drug Control Policy (adviser on drug policies). The attendees include White House

Chief of Staff, National Security Adviser, Attorney General and Deputy National

Security Adviser. Depending on the subject of discussion, participants like the

Secretary of the Treasury and Homeland Security Adviser join in. Depending on

the subject of discussion, participants like the Secretary of the Treasury and

Homeland Security Adviser join in. There are nearly 50 other staff who comprise

of advisers and escorts. Post the 9/11 attacks, the NSC gained importance. Any

military action, or policy decisions ranging from tax to healthcare take place with

the help of the NSC.

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The main objectives of the National Security Council are as follows:

- Set forth clear directives to the rest of the national bureaucracy, 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, dealing with both foreign policy and the state of the

nation.

- Make quick and deliberate decisions in order that they can be pushed down the

National bureaucracy and implemented effectively.

- 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, 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 NSC

meets.

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Speakers List

A Speakers List is very much similar to a General Speakers list, a list of all the delegates

who wish to give a speech on the agenda that is being discussed. A Speakers List speech

shall be by default 90 seconds. However, the GSL speech time can be changed by

introducing a motion. Note, the minimum Speakers List speech time may 60 seconds

and maximum is 120 seconds. After completing his/her speech, the delegate can yield

the remaining time for Points of Information and comments. It is not mandatory to do

so, but it will be taken into consideration for evaluative purposes.

Caucuses

USNSC also shall have MUN styled caucuses to facilitate substantial debate in

committee. Caucuses in general of two types, Moderated and Unmoderated.

Moderated Caucus

In a moderated caucus, the EB will temporarily depart from the Speakers List and call on

delegates to raise a motion for a moderated caucus. A moderated caucus is formal

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discussion on the issues related to the main agenda and of great importance. It can be a

subdivision of the agenda too. A motion for a moderated caucus is in order at any time

when the floor is open, prior to closure of debate. 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. It is permitted for one delegate to speak more

than once on one moderated caucus topic. Three topics shall be taken and will be voted

on the order of precedence (longest time with lowest speaking time is voted on first, if it

fails the next is voted upon).If no delegate wishes to speak during a moderated caucus,

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.

Unmoderated Caucus

A delegate may motion for an Unmoderated caucus at any time when the floor is open.

The delegate making the motion must specify a time limit and a topic of discussion for

the

Caucus, not to exceed twenty minutes. The motion will immediately be put to a vote

and will pass given a simple majority. In the case of multiple Unmoderated caucuses, the

Chair will rank the motions in descending order of length, and the Committee members

will vote accordingly. The Chair may rule the motion out of order. An Unmoderated

caucus can be extended by re-introducing and voting on it.

The delegates of USNSC will be briefed on the Resolution making process and voting

procedure in committee by the President of the council.

Motions, points and other ROP

Please refer the delegate manual.

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Position Papers

Delegates of USNSC will not need to write position papers. Rather it is required that the

delegates of different departments write and present a memo, 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). The

suggested solutions and recommendations can also be brought forward for discussion in

committee through a moderated caucus or in the delegates speaker list speech. 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.

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. It must be a concise

and precise and convey critical information to the reader in an efficient manner. Policy

memos are written so that readers can efficiently access fact-based information in order

to make an informed decision. Memos should, therefore, try to inform the audience in a

concise, organized, and professional manner, while still including the most relevant

content.

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. But the opinions that

are presented should also be substantiated.

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.

Make sure to present opinions as opinions and NOT as facts. Opinions presented

should also be substantiated.

Use logic and facts to support each of your main points and/or to refute opposing

points. When citing facts in-text, be accurate.

Avoid logical fallacies such as appeals to authority, slippery slope arguments,

hasty generalizations, and faulty causation.

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Restrict the length of the document to a maximum of 2-3 pages, 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, 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 Ministerone to three at

most?

What position(s) have others taken on these issues?

Options

What are the plausible courses of action, 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

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Submission of Policy Memo

Policy memo must be submitted on or before the day of the MUN. 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.

Role of Different positions

Secretary of State

The chief diplomat of the United States, the Secretary of State is the chief of the

Department of State and the presidents chief advisor for international relations.

SECSTATE controls a myriad of assets, to include the countrys diplomatic missions

abroad, its diplomatic intelligence resources, USAID, and Americas representation

within international institutions. SECSTATE must coordinate among these assets and

with other organizations within the U.S. national security infrastructure to offer

diplomatic options for the president.

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Secretary of Defense

The civilian head of the United States largest bureaucracy, SECDEF is the administrative

leader charged with supporting and coordinating the Armed Forces, defense intelligence

assets, and the logistical infrastructure that supports these. 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.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

The highest ranking officer in the US military, the Chairman of the JCS is the chief

military advisor to both the President of the United States (POTUS) and the SECDEF.

While he outranks all other officers, he does not hold command over any particular unit

or branch in the military. Instead, he focuses on coordinating efforts between the

respective heads of the four branches of the US military (Army, Navy, Air Force, and

Marines).

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Director of National Intelligence

The DNI is the principal advisor to the President on issues relating to intelligence.

Additionally, he/she leads the intelligence community, the group of sixteen government

agencies that conduct intelligence operations relating to foreign relations, national

security, or both. While the DNI technically outranks the heads of the various

intelligence agencies, his ability to influence them and project his power has continued

to be limited since the position was formed back in 2005.

Attorney General

The Attorney General is the head of the Department of Justice (DoJ), making him/her

the chief law enforcement officer and the chief lawyer in the US government.

Organizations under the DoJ include the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), and

the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF). The Department coordinates these

distinct agencies through several department divisions, including the DoJ National

Security Division, the DoJ Criminal Division, and the DoJ Antitrust Division.

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National Security Adviser

The Presidents advisor on national security affairs, the NSA can be tasked to run

working groups, liaise among the organs of U.S. power, and provide pointed policy

advise to the President on demand. In the process of writing policy and responding to

crises, the National Security Advisor will be responsible for organizing balanced strategic

options and providing courses of action for the President. The NSA is an expert on

foreign relations and masterful orchestrator of policy.

Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security

The Department of homeland security covers a multitude of issue including

counterterrorism, border security, immigration, and cyber security. The Secretary

informs the president on issues that threaten our borders as well as the projected

implications of different policy on our security. The secretary must be aware of possible

terrorist response to different actions taken by the U.S. as well as typical courses of

action taken against the Homeland Security system no matter whether they are physical

or cyber-attacks.

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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.

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. They are normally associated with posts that

explicitly involve only issues of national security. They play a major role within USNSC.

Special Assistant to the President Special assistants are considered expert of a particular field and specialise in one area.

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, in this case Non-Proliferation.

All the other members such as Attorney General, Secretary of State, Secretary of

Defense, Heads of CIA, DHS, Joint chief of staffs, Director of National Intelligence are

people who have high authority in the structure of Federal government of the United

States, responsible for their respective departments and majority reporting directly to

the President of the United States.

IMPORATANT NOTE Allotment of posts is merely a formality. 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. It is also necessary for a delegate to clearly understand the significance of the

post and act accordingly. It is okay to give personal opinion on an issue and it is advised

that you do to help make the simulation more realistic. But please remember that you

represent the best interests of your posts as a member of the National Security Council.

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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.

Minimum of 2 Co-submitters will be mandatory for carrying out any executive order.

Other members of the NSC need not be consented for passing an executive order.

Presidential Directives, 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. The directives articulate the executive's national

security policy and carry the "full force and effect of law".

Presidential Study Directives

Presidential Policy Directives

A PDD requires one main submitter and 2 co submitters for it to be considered by the

President. Once the President receives it, it shall be subjected to vote and needs the

approval of majority (>50%) of the votes to be passed. Then if and only if the President

approves it, will it be considered to have been passed by the entire council. The

President has a VETO right in such matters.

Resolutions Unlike normal MUN committees NSC will not be having a resolution as such. Instead of

resolutions, the members shall draft a recommendations in the format of a resolution to

concerned departments for implementing changes suggested in council. 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.

National Security Council Resolution

DATE xx/xx/xxxx

Presidential Policy Directive -- xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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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. The resolution shall not be voted upon as a single document. Minimum

number of votes required to pass a clause shall be 2/3rd of the committee followed by

the Presidents vote. Only if a clause manages to fulfil both criteria will it be considered

to be a part of the final resolution.

Disclaimer The information that I have furnished is true to the best of my knowledge. But errors

may be contained within the document that the delegates are to overlook owing to the

fact that I am merely a human. Any decision that I make in the council shall supersede

whatsoever that may be mentioned in this document. I shall try my best to fulfil my

duties entrusted to me and keep the trust bestowed upon me to my fullest capabilities.

Udhav Krishna Prarthana Prakash Anirudh Raghuram

PRESIDENT VICE PRESIDENT DIRECTOR

(8939348928) (8056060330) (9962037369)