[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 214 Introduced in House (IH)]






109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 214

 Directing the Speaker of the House of Representatives to provide for 
  the display of the Ten Commandments in the chamber of the House of 
Representatives if the Supreme Court of the United States rules against 
 religious freedom by holding that the display of the Ten Commandments 
in public places by State and local governments constitutes a violation 
of the establishment clause of the first amendment to the Constitution 
                         of the United States.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 14, 2005

 Mr. King of Iowa (for himself, Mr. Chabot, Mr. Bartlett of Maryland, 
Mr. Norwood, Mr. Pitts, Mr. Westmoreland, Mrs. Blackburn, Ms. Foxx, Mr. 
 Gingrey, Mr. Hostettler, Mr. Goode, and Mr. Alexander) submitted the 
  following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on House 
                             Administration

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Directing the Speaker of the House of Representatives to provide for 
  the display of the Ten Commandments in the chamber of the House of 
Representatives if the Supreme Court of the United States rules against 
 religious freedom by holding that the display of the Ten Commandments 
in public places by State and local governments constitutes a violation 
of the establishment clause of the first amendment to the Constitution 
                         of the United States.

Whereas the chamber of the House of Representatives is framed by ``In God We 
        Trust'' etched in stone above the Speaker's head and directly across 
        from the Speaker is the figure of Moses engraved in stone, the only 
        figure in the chamber looking directly at the Speaker and therefore 
        looking at the motto of ``In God We Trust'';
Whereas the Constitution of the United States expressly states, ``Congress shall 
        make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the 
        free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the 
        press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition 
        the Government for a redress of grievances'';
Whereas the House of Representatives recognizes the Constitutional prohibition 
        against establishing an official state religion;
Whereas the House of Representatives respects the binding authority of the 
        Constitution and recognizes that posting the Ten Commandments in the 
        House Chamber is a constitutionally protected expression of our Nation's 
        heritage and the foundation of our laws;
Whereas the display of the Ten Commandments by governments does not violate the 
        establishment clause of the first amendment to the Constitution of the 
        United States;
Whereas the legislative branch is responsible for upholding the Constitution of 
        the United States, including the right recognized by the first amendment 
        to the free exercise of religion; and
Whereas the Ten Commandments should therefore take their rightful place among 
        the monuments and symbols in the chamber of the House of Representatives 
        which recognize the contributors to our Nation: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved,  That if the Supreme Court of the United States holds in 
either the case of Van Orden v. Perry, 03-1500 (TX) or the case of 
McCreary County v. ACLU, 03-1693 (KY) that the display of the Ten 
Commandments in public places by State and local governments 
constitutes a violation of the establishment clause of the first 
amendment to the Constitution of the United States, thereby ruling 
against religious freedom and diminishing the importance of the Ten 
Commandments to the United States, the Speaker of the House of 
Representatives shall provide for the display of the Ten Commandments 
in the chamber of the House of Representatives.
                                 <all>