[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 316 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 316

 To express the sense of Congress that State and local governments and 
local educational agencies are encouraged to dedicate a day of learning 
to the study and understanding of the Declaration of Independence, the 
         United States Constitution, and the Federalist Papers.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             August 4, 1998

Mr. Gingrich (for himself, Mr. Armey, Mr. Barr of Georgia, Mr. Barrett 
   of Nebraska, Mr. Bass, Mr. Bateman, Mr. Bliley, Mr. Boehlert, Mr. 
 Bryant, Mr. Calvert, Mr. Cox of California, Mr. Deal of Georgia, Mr. 
    DeLay, Ms. Dunn, Mr. English of Pennsylvania, Mr. Gibbons, Mr. 
  Greenwood, Mr. Hastert, Mr. Hayworth, Mr. Hobson, Mr. Kasich, Mrs. 
    Kelly, Mr. Linder, Mr. McIntosh, Mr. Metcalf, Mrs. Myrick, Mrs. 
  Northup, Mr. Norwood, Mr. Peterson of Pennsylvania, Mr. Pitts, Ms. 
  Pryce of Ohio, Mr. Redmond, Mr. Scarborough, Mr. Sensenbrenner, Mr. 
 Sessions, Mr. Smith of Texas, Mr. Smith of Michigan, Mr. Solomon, Mr. 
Spence, Mr. Stearns, Mr. Stump, Mr. Talent, Mr. Watts of Oklahoma, Mr. 
  Weldon of Florida, and Mr. Wolf) submitted the following concurrent 
 resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the 
                               Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
 To express the sense of Congress that State and local governments and 
local educational agencies are encouraged to dedicate a day of learning 
to the study and understanding of the Declaration of Independence, the 
         United States Constitution, and the Federalist Papers.

Whereas the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, the signing of 
        the United States Constitution in 1787, and the ratification of the Bill 
        of Rights in 1789 were principal events in the history of the United 
        States;
Whereas these documents stand as the foundation of our form of democracy, 
        providing at the same time the touchstone of our national identity and 
        the vehicle for orderly growth and change;
Whereas the Federalist Papers embody an eloquent and forceful argument made in 
        support of the adoption of our republican form of government;
Whereas the success of the American experiment requires that our Nation's 
        children--the future of its heritage and participants in its 
        governance--have a firm knowledge of its principles and history; and
Whereas the limited nature of government is the fundamental American concept of 
        governance, because our system is based on the belief that power is 
        granted by our Creator to the citizen who then voluntarily loans power 
        to the state and because, as the Declaration of Independence states, 
        ``all men . . . are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable 
        Rights'': Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) State and local governments and local educational 
        agencies are encouraged to dedicate at least one day of 
        learning to the study and understanding of the significance of 
        the Declaration of Independence, the United States 
        Constitution, and the Federalist Papers; and
            (2) State and local governments and local educational 
        agencies are encouraged to include a requirement that, before 
        receiving a certificate or diploma of graduation from high 
        school, students be tested on their competency in understanding 
        the Declaration of Independence, the United States 
        Constitution, and the Federalist Papers.
                                 <all>