Model United States Senate - DoDDS-Europe MUSS

DoDDS-Europe MUSS

A conference held in Heidelberg, Germany every April for 4 days for high school students from all over DODDS Europe participate to simulate the United States Senate, lobby, pass bills, and generally learn about the legislative process that takes place in the United States Senate.

DoDDS-Europe MUSS was formerly held in various locations other than the Pavilion in Patrick Henry Village. MUSS was regularly conducted off-base with students attending from non-DODDS schools, but after 2001, after the 9/11 attacks, the conference was required to be held on a military installation and students from non-DODDS schools were no longer allowed to participate.

DoDDS-Europe MUSS is organized cooperatively by the teacher board and the appointed student board. The student board is typically composed of six students from six different schools. These six students and the teachers' advisory board usually meet in December to organize most of the conference including:

• Creating the theme
• Designing and ordering T-shirts, pens, folders, etc.
• Setting debate topics
• Suggesting changes to the conference

Every participating team and their coach is expected to arrive at the conference location at a specified time, most of the time between 8-10 pm. As the senators and lobbyists arrive they are told the time frame in which they are expected to lobby. Lobbyist represent interest groups, government agencies or any organization that wishes to push for a specific act or bill.