Our 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 oldest debate union in the country. Over the course of the last three decades, our annual conference has evolved, expanded, and relocated to our nation’s capital Washington, DC to enrich our participants’ experience with an added dimension of realism that no other model congress in America offers.

Princeton Model Congress exemplifies the University’s motto:

“In the nation’s service and the service of humanity”

To foster civic engagement in America’s future, our conference draws approximately 750 participants from all across the political spectrum and from all over the country. Under the direction of Princeton undergraduates, high school students simulate the experience of serving in all three branches of the American government by debating bills in Congress, sitting on the bench as a Supreme Court Justice, and counseling our Commander-in-Chief as a member of the Presidential Cabinet.

Our Structure

Princeton Model Congress is composed of four distinct congresses: Red, White, and Orange. Each of these Congresses encompasses six Senate committees and six House of Representatives committees. Bills that pass in Committee Sessions are brought before Full Sessions, where the Congressional Senate or House of Representatives convene. Bills that pass in Full Sessions are sent to the President of Princeton Model Congress, an elected student delegate, to be signed or vetoed. All Committee Sessions and Full Sessions are moderated by Princeton University undergraduates according to Robert’s Rules of Order.

At PMC, our delegates should not take on the roles of current government officials or represent specific state interests. Although arguing for assigned views serves as a valuable rhetorical exercise, it generates less well-informed and less passionate debate than debate among students espousing their true convictions. Delegates research and write their own bills on topics pertinent to their assigned committee and based on their individual interests.

Our Location

Princeton Model Congress’s regular location in Washington, DC differentiates us from other model congresses in the country, and it is one of the many aspects of our conference that generates glowing feedback from both students and their teachers year after year. During a half-day break in a four-day schedule, delegates have the opportunity to visit attractions such as the Capitol Building, the White House, and the US Supreme Court. The DC area abounds in world-renowned museums, including the Smithsonian Museums and the National Gallery of Art.

Our Speaker

Our proximity to the heart of the national’s capital also enables PMC to attract keynote speakers from the highest ranks 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 in real time. Recent PMC keynote speakers include Mike Gallagher, Lisa Brown, Ralph Nader, Jared Polis, and Glenn Ivey.