[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 149 (Thursday, September 18, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1839]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 INTRODUCTION OF THE AMERICA RESOLUTION

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. K. MICHAEL CONAWAY

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 18, 2008

  Mr. CONAWAY. Madam Speaker, yesterday was Constitution Day. On that 
day, 221 years ago in a cramped hall in Philadelphia, 39 men signed 
their names to a document that would forever change the course of human 
events.
  The United States Constitution is one of the most remarkable 
covenants ever authored by man. Grounded firmly in the Age of 
Enlightenment, the Constitution gave physical form to the radical ideas 
of Montesquieu, Locke, and Paine, who believed that the rights of man 
come from God and that legitimate governments arise from the consent of 
the governed. Our Founding Fathers blended these philosophies with 
common sense and tough compromises to create a new form of government 
dedicated to the ideas of liberty, the rule of law, civic 
responsibility, and popular sovereignty.
  For over 200 years, the ideas the Founders wove through our 
Constitution have been considered sacred. Each Constitution Day 
presents us with an opportunity to pause and reflect on the 
extraordinary document these men drafted to provide us with a unified 
and stable Nation. In their wisdom, they sought to protect the rights 
and liberties of individuals by dividing power and authority between 
the States and the national government. The result is a system of 
shared roles designed to prevent any one element from gaining too much 
power.
  Yet today, the document at the very foundation of our Republic is 
often considered only as an afterthought during our debates. Even 
though every Member, staffer, and officer of the House of 
Representatives has taken an oath to support and defend the 
Constitution and to bear true faith and allegiance to it, too often we 
ignore its many constraints on our authority in the name of political 
expediency.
  It is essential that we never forget the guiding principles 
established in our Constitution and that is why yesterday I introduced 
the AMERICA Resolution, A Modest Effort to Read and Instill the 
Constitution Again.
  The AMERICA resolution requires all staff and officers of the House 
to read the Constitution once a year and encourages all Members of 
Congress to do the same. Just as we require Members and staff to know 
how to act ethically, we should require Members and staff to know how 
to act constitutionally.
  It is my hope that this small yearly effort will renew and deepen our 
appreciation for the genius of the Constitution and the divisions and 
constraints on power contained within it. The AMERICA Resolution is 
meant to remind lawmakers, and our staff that advises us, to stay 
within our country's founding framework as we conduct legislative 
business.
  Today I call on all Members of Congress to join me and rededicate 
ourselves to our founding principles of limited, constrained governance 
as enshrined in our Constitution. By studying our founding document, we 
will continue the legacy of these great men and their groundbreaking 
ideas, as well as develop the habits of citizenship that keep the 
Constitution alive and relevant for a new generation of Americans.
  I urge you all to join me and support the AMERICA Resolution.

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