[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 474 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 474

      Expressing the Boy Scouts of America freedom of association.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 16, 1998

Mr. Riggs submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                       Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
      Expressing the Boy Scouts of America freedom of association.

Whereas the Boy Scouts of America is a private organization whose purpose is 
        ``to provide an educational program for boys and young adults to build 
        character, to train in the responsibilities of participating 
        citizenship, and to develop personal fitness'';
Whereas the Boy Scouts of America has had this policy since being incorporated 
        on February 8, 1910, and chartered by the 64th Congress of the United 
        States in 1916;
Whereas the Boy Scouts of America has a membership of more than 5,600,000 boys 
        and young men and is staffed by volunteer adult leaders who serve at all 
        levels of Scouting in approximately 380 local councils, 32 areas, and 4 
        regions, and nationally with volunteer executive boards and committees 
        providing guidance to each local council;
Whereas these volunteer adult leaders are routinely in close contact with 
        individual Scouts to whom they provide training and instruction in the 
        personal and moral values of Scouting;
Whereas the Boy Scouts of America has long taught morality, traditional family 
        values along the guidelines established by the national executive board 
        and the national charter from Congress;
Whereas Councils of the Boy Scouts of America have been subjected to a series of 
        local lawsuits by militant advocacy organizations that seeks to force 
        the Boy Scouts of America to accept certain persons as Scouts and Scout 
        Leaders who they feel do not represent the personal and moral values 
        that the Boy Scouts of America seek to imbue in its membership;
Whereas the Boy Scouts of America's National Council has established a 
        prohibition on openly homosexual members and leaders;
Whereas this prohibition is justified by the Scout Oath, including a commitment 
        to stay ``physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight'';
Whereas the Boy Scouts of America, as a private, voluntary, nonbusiness 
        organization, has the right to set this standard and maintain 
        traditional values and freedom of association; and
Whereas a recent survey showed Americans, by a 2 to 1 margin, believe the Boy 
        Scouts of America should be allowed to prohibit homosexuals joining 
        their organization or becoming Scout Leaders: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives of 
the United States that the Boy Scouts of America has the right, as a 
voluntary association, to set standards for members and leaders and 
should not be required against its will to accept as Scouts or Scout 
Leaders individuals who do not reflect the traditional and moral values 
of the Boy Scouts of America.
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