[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 128 (Wednesday, September 14, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: September 14, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
              SENATE ANNOTATED EDITION OF THE CONSTITUTION

  Mr. MITCHELL. Mr. President, 207 years ago this Saturday, on 
September 17, 1787, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, 39 delegates 
from 12 States signed the Constitution of the United States of America. 
Ratified in 1788 and placed in operation in 1789, the U.S. Constitution 
is the world's longest-surviving written charter of government. Its 
first three words--``We The People''--affirm that the government of the 
United States exists to serve its citizens. The supremacy of the 
people, through their elected representatives, is recognized in article 
I, which creates a Congress consisting of a Senate and a House of 
Representatives. The positioning of Congress at the beginning of the 
Constitution reaffirms the status of this institution as the first 
branch of the Federal Government.
  It is essential that all Americans have the opportunity to read and 
understand this supremely important document. To assist in meeting that 
objective, the Office of the Secretary of the Senate, with the support 
of the Library of Congress, has prepared a specially annotated 46-page 
edition of the Constitution for distribution through Members' offices 
to Senate visitors. For each of the Constitution's sections, this 
edition includes a brief explanation written in a style designed to be 
accessible to the widest possible audience. On this September 17, we 
would all do well to set aside some time to become reacquainted with 
our Constitution.

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