[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 116 (Monday, September 18, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9668-S9669]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CONSTITUTION AND CITIZENSHIP DAY
Mr. BYRD. Madam President, yesterday, September 17, the Nation
observed Constitution and Citizenship Day. Yesterday, on the Sabbath,
the Nation observed Constitution and Citizenship Day. The day marked
the 219th anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution. On
September, 17, 1787, 219 years ago yesterday, an extraordinary
convention of American statesmen met in Philadelphia's Independence
Hall to adopt our fledgling Nation's fundamental governing principles,
codified in the new Constitution. I am happy to glory in my good
fortune, the blessing of living in this Nation and under this
Constitution--this Constitution which I hold in my hand. I have long
been a student of the Constitution, and I do carry it with me, close to
my heart. Alexander the Great slept with a copy of the Iliad, written
by Homer in the 800s before Christ--a copy of the Iliad under his
pillow, they say. I do not sleep with a copy of the Constitution under
my pillow, but I carry it close to my heart.
Over the years, I have read deeply about our Founding Fathers and the
great national debate that accompanied the development, the adoption,
and the ratification of this critical document. This history is
enlightening, revealing the lessons of our Founding Fathers, the great
lessons of our Founding Fathers and the lessons they learned from
ancient history as well as from their own experience as colonists
subject to the British King.
As a Member of the Senate, I have many good reasons to want to know
more about the Constitution. Yes, I am 89, but I want to know more. The
Constitution affects all Americans, and I urge all Americans to learn
more about the Constitution. Why? Because it remains as vital to our
lives today as it was 219 years ago. That was a long time ago, 219
years. This Constitution affects the structure and operation of our
government, a government of laws, not a government of men. Yes, this
Constitution, this is the roadmap, this is the cornerstone of our
Republic. It dictates who is eligible to run for office and hold
office. It dictates who may elect government officials and how those
officials--like me, like myself--must conduct themselves while in
office. It outlines who does what within the Federal Government and
between the Federal Government and these United States. It requires the
President, the Chief Executive in the White House--who is he? He is the
Chief Executive, but it requires that he, the President of the United
States, report. To whom? To the people and to Congress.
The Constitution decides who may declare war. It says, ``The Congress
shall have the power to declare war.'' Yes, the Congress. It decides
who may appoint Ambassadors, who may levy taxes, who may decide how
Federal dollars will be spent. If all of that does not affect every
American, I do not know what does.
I firmly believe that our Constitution deserves greater awareness in
our national life and in our everyday lives. A distressing number of
studies have shown a profound ignorance of and, yes, even indifference
to this fundamental document of government. This is it. I hold it in my
hands. Of course, more than the Constitution is included in this fine
little document that I have and carry in my pocket, but the title of
this little book is the ``United States Constitution.'' That is it.
This is the pillar of my liberties, the pillar of your liberties, and
it is the roadmap by which those who govern shall govern.
Too many citizens have little or no knowledge of this Constitution,
from the functions of government to the scope of their own rights and
liberties. Did you realize that, every one of you who is within the
sound of my voice throughout this great Nation? You may revere the
Constitution--and most people do. Yes, they are proud of the
Constitution. They revere it. But they do not know what is in it; too
many do not know what is in it. Many do.
I think that may also be true of many Members of Congress, many
Members of this body. As you know, there are two bodies of Congress.
Two bodies make up the Congress, not one body. It may be true of many
Members of these two Houses. It may be true of many Members of this
House, the Senate of the United States. It may be true of the executive
branch officials. Did you hear that it may be true of executive
officials, many of them? It may be true of military officials, many
military officials and personnel, and members of the news media. Hear
me now, yonder on the back benches, those who write, those who
question, those who explain: members of the news media.
Few people know why the Constitution was designed the way it was. Few
people may understand what the checks and balances contained in our
governmental structure are meant to do.
When the Constitutional Convention sent to the States this
Constitution for ratification, in 1787, it stimulated an active
political debate out there--in the mountains, the hills, and the
valleys of this land. It was not a political debate such as we see
today--a cacophony of short sound bites and slogans that do not answer
the questions or which are aimed only at attacking a political
opponent--but a real debate, a real discussion, a real looking at the
structure, at the parts of the structure, at the words, at the
sentences--yes, a real debate and discussion.
Supporters and opponents wrote pamphlets and published essays that
were widely read. Can you imagine that? They wrote pamphlets, essays
that were widely read, widely discussed? The Constitution became a
topic of conversation around dinner tables and at public meeting
places. Imagine, just imagine--hear me now, imagine that today.
Imagine that happening today. The Federalist Papers--may I say to the
pages--read them. The Federalist Papers--not just the Constitution but
also the Federalist Papers. Read them. The Federalist Papers, that
great defense of the Constitution written by James Madison, Alexander
Hamilton, and John Jay--read the Federalist Papers. They were widely
printed in newspapers and still more widely read and discussed. The
Federalist Papers served as the centerpiece for the debate over the
form of government the Constitution created, the form of government
this little Constitution created. Yes. I hold it in my hand. Sadly,
today there are few people outside of college classes and history and
politics who have read the Federalist Papers. They should be read by
all Americans who want to understand the Constitution.
Read the Federalist Papers. If you have read them, read them again.
It is like reading the Holy Bible. Each time you read it, you will see
new things, you will understand new things, new words are being said,
new sentences, new thoughts are being expressed, some that you had not
seen before.
Madison, Hamilton, and Jay--those great men, Madison Hamilton, and
Jay--turned to the mass-communication system of their day, the
newspapers. Now, in the 21st century, we have the ability to promote
better knowledge and better understanding of the Constitution through
the newest form of mass communication--think about that--the Internet.
As an excellent resource for Americans on this vital topic, I draw
attention to the considerable information about the Constitution that
the United States is making available--get that--the United States is
making available to the public on the Senate Web site. You hear me. It
is there.
By publishing articles in newspapers, Madison, Hamilton, and Jay
reached out and touched an audience of thousands. Through the World
Wide Web, the Senate's Web site, material on the Constitution can be
accessed by an audience of millions, millions of citizens, teachers,
and students--people from all around, the world.
In honor of this year's celebration of Constitution Day, the U.S.
Senate has included a variety of features on its Web site--at
www.senate.gov_to promote a more thorough understanding of our
Constitution, the blueprint--here it is--for the Federal Government
that still defines and guides us today, I say to the President who sits
in the chair. Visitors to the Senate Web site will find many items
related to the Constitution. The full text of the Constitution can be
viewed, along with annotations and Senate-specific clauses.
[[Page S9669]]
There is also a feature on the Federalist Papers and a special section
featuring books about the Constitution for children. There is a
beautiful color reproduction of the mural unveiled in the Senate wing
of the Capitol Building just a few days ago. The mural depicts the
authors of the Connecticut Compromise of 1787--also known as the Great
Compromise--that led to creation of the Senate and the House of
Representatives. There is also a Virtual Reference Desk that can guide
visitors to further reading and resources to help them learn more about
our--our, our--Constitution.
I commend the Secretary of the Senate, the Sergeant at Arms, and
their staffs, who collected and posted this array of constitutional
material in such an attractive and easy-to-use format. Their work
reflects well on the Senate and offers a real service to the Nation. It
embodies the spirit of Constitution Day, which I am proud to have had a
hand in establishing. I also commend the many other organizations that
have made an abundance of educational material available to all those
seeking greater knowledge of the Constitution. Notable among these are
the Web sites of the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia,
Justice Learning, the Center for Civic Education, the Constitutional
Rights Center, the Constitution Project, and the Freedom Forum. They
have all done fine work that deserves widespread attention.
Our Constitution is what sets the United States--yes, our
Constitution is what sets the United States, a star, above other
nations. Our Constitution is what makes the United States such a
shining beacon, such a shining star for the people of other nations,
for those still struggling to establish democratically elected
representative governments.
Our Constitution empowers our leaders but also places limits on our
leaders to prevent autocratic rule. ``If men were angels, no government
would be necessary.'' James Madison wrote in the Federalist Papers,
``If men were angels, no government would be necessary.'' ``If angels
were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on
government would be necessary. In framing a government which is to be
administered by men over men, the great difficulty is this: You must
first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next
place, oblige it to control itself.''
The self-control mechanism in our Constitution and therefore in our
governmental structure comes first from the competition between and
among the three branches of Government, the famous ``checks and
balances.'' Ultimately, the self-control mechanism in our Government
comes from the powers and the responsibilities placed by the
Constitution upon the people of the United States. In order to
effectively play our safeguarding role as citizens, we each--each of
us; you, Mr. President, me, each of us--has an obligation to be
informed. The system of checks and balances between and among the three
branches of Government and the ideals of freedom and of rights and
liberties set forth and realized in our Constitution are our greatest
contributions to the world--our greatest contributions to the world.
My hope is that observances of Constitution Day--yesterday, today,
this year, and in future years--will encourage all citizens, all
citizens high and mighty and low, to learn more about our Constitution
and Government. Certainly there is no better way for people to start
than by clicking on the U.S. Senate's Web site. I hope many people
listening today, many people watching today, will be inspired to use
the Internet today--yes, today--to visit the Senate's Web site and see
the marvelous collection of information about the most marvelous
document, the Constitution of the United States.
I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Enzi). The clerk will call the roll.
The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for
the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The
Senator from North Dakota.
Mr. CONRAD. I thank the Chair.
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