[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 198 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 198

Commemorating the 150th anniversaries of the ratification of the 13th, 
  14th, and 15th Amendments to the Constitution of the United States, 
   often referred to as the ``Second Founding'' of the United States.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 10, 2015

Mr. Leahy (for himself and Mr. Lee) submitted the following resolution; 
                   which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Commemorating the 150th anniversaries of the ratification of the 13th, 
  14th, and 15th Amendments to the Constitution of the United States, 
   often referred to as the ``Second Founding'' of the United States.

Whereas, in 1787, delegates from the original 13 States gathered in Philadelphia 
        to propose and ratify a new guiding charter, the Constitution of the 
        United States, for the young republic;
Whereas George Washington, James Madison, and the other delegates managed to 
        craft the most durable form of government in world history, one that 
        provided for its own revision and, therefore, allowed future generations 
        to continue to build a ``more perfect Union'';
Whereas following the Civil War, President Lincoln and his generation did just 
        that, ratifying a series of transformational amendments that gave the 
        United States what Lincoln promised at Gettysburg, ``a new birth of 
        freedom'';
Whereas the Second Founding of the United States began in earnest on January 31, 
        1865, when Congress passed the 13th Amendment to the Constitution of the 
        United States and sent it to the States for ratification;
Whereas the next day, President Lincoln signed the 13th Amendment to the 
        Constitution of the United States, calling it a ``King's cure'' for the 
        evil of slavery;
Whereas the people of the United States ratified the 13th Amendment to the 
        Constitution of the United States on December 6, 1865, banning slavery 
        and forced labor;
Whereas the people of the United States next ratified the 14th Amendment to the 
        Constitution of the United States on July 9, 1868, enshrining a host of 
        new constitutional guarantees;
Whereas the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States granted 
        United States citizenship to everyone born on the soil of, and subject 
        to the jurisdiction of, the United States, protected fundamental rights 
        like free speech from State abuses, ensured due process of law for the 
        people of the United States, and guaranteed equality for all of the 
        people of the United States;
Whereas the people of the United States ratified the 15th Amendment to the 
        Constitution of the United States on February 3, 1870, guaranteeing the 
        right to vote free from racial discrimination;
Whereas the ratification of this series of amendments truly constituted a 
        ``Second Founding'' for the United States; and
Whereas the 150th anniversary of the Second Founding occurs over the course of 
        the next 5 years: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) commemorates the 150th anniversaries of the 
        ratification of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the 
        Constitution of the United States - the Second Founding of the 
        United States;
            (2) designates the year of 2015 as the ``Sesquicentennial 
        of Our Nation's Second Founding, New Birth of Freedom: 
        Commemorating the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth 
        Amendments'';
            (3) encourages State and local governments to join in the 
        Sesquicentennial celebration by organizing appropriate 
        ceremonies, activities, and educational outreach; and
            (4) encourages the people of the United States to explore 
        the history and significance of the Second Founding and to 
        celebrate the continuing importance to our Constitution and to 
        the United States of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the 
        Constitution of the United States.
                                 <all>