[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1450 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1450

Amending the Rules of the House of Representatives to require officers 
   and employees of the House to read the Constitution of the United 
                           States each year.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 17, 2008

Mr. Conaway (for himself, Mrs. Cubin, Mr. Sullivan, Mrs. Bachmann, Mr. 
 McHenry, Mr. Marchant, Mr. Neugebauer, Mr. Gingrey, Mr. Kingston, Mr. 
 Broun of Georgia, Mr. Lamborn, Mr. Franks of Arizona, Mr. Bartlett of 
 Maryland, and Mr. Bishop of Utah) submitted the following resolution; 
              which was referred to the Committee on Rules

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Amending the Rules of the House of Representatives to require officers 
   and employees of the House to read the Constitution of the United 
                           States each year.

Whereas the United States Constitution articulates principles envisioned by the 
        Founding Fathers;
Whereas the United States Constitution is the written set of the fundamental 
        principles by which the United States is governed;
Whereas Article I of the United States Constitution establishes the legislative 
        branch;
Whereas the United States Constitution is the supreme law of the land;
Whereas the United States Constitution is the world's oldest written national 
        constitution;
Whereas the United States Constitution confers honor and responsibility upon 
        Members of Congress;
Whereas the United States Constitution should be known by those who legislate; 
        and
Whereas the United States Constitution is a dynamic governing document of and 
        for the people of the United States: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This resolution may be cited as the ``A Modest Effort to Read and 
Instill the Constitution Again Resolution of 2008'' or the ``AMERICA 
Resolution of 2008''.

SEC. 2. SENSE OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

    It is the sense of the House of Representatives that Members of 
Congress, who swear to uphold the Constitution of the United States and 
are responsible for writing laws regarding the powers granted to the 
Government and proposing constitutional amendments, should read this 
important document, including its amendments.

SEC. 3. ANNUAL READING OF THE CONSTITUTION REQUIRED FOR HOUSE OFFICERS 
              AND EMPLOYEES.

    Clause 3(a) of rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives 
is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
            ``(7)(A) The committee shall provide a copy of the 
        Constitution of the United States to each new Member, Delegate, 
        Resident Commissioner, officer, and employee of the House.
            ``(B) Not later than January 31 of each year, each officer 
        and employee of the House shall file a certification with the 
        committee attesting that the officer or employee has read the 
        Constitution of the United States in its entirety in the 
        previous year.''.
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