[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 17]
[House]
[Page 24380]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                            CONSTITUTION DAY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Conaway) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. CONAWAY. Mr. Speaker, the Preamble of the Constitution reads: 
``We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect 
Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the 
common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings 
of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this 
Constitution for the United States of America.''
  On this day, 220 years ago, the 55 delegates to the Continental 
Congress convened in Philadelphia to hold their final meeting and sign 
a document that would change the course of history. Our Founding 
Fathers created a monumental plan to govern a sprawling young country 
dedicated to the idea that citizens were sovereign and should be as 
free from the tyranny of unchecked authority.
  Constitution Day presents us with an opportunity to pause and reflect 
on what a magnificent job these 55 individuals did in crafting a 
compromise which has provided 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 States and the 
national government. The result is a system of shared roles designed to 
prevent any one element from gaining too much power.
  Members of Congress have taken an oath to bear true faith and 
allegiance to the Constitution and with that responsibility in mind it 
is vital for us to fully understand this sacred document. That is why 
today on the 220th anniversary of the signing of our Constitution I am 
introducing the AMERICA Act: A Modest Effort to Read and Instill the 
Constitution Again.
  The AMERICA Act simply states that Members of Congress, Senators, and 
their respective staff read the Constitution annually.
  Mr. Speaker, we Members of Congress are pledged to uphold this 
Constitution, to defend this Constitution, write the laws that 
implement this Constitution and from time to time propose 
constitutional amendments to change this Constitution. It is my hope 
that this modest yearly effort will renew and deepen our appreciation 
for the brilliance of the Constitution and the division and constraints 
on power contained within it.
  The AMERICA Act is meant to be a reminder to lawmakers to stay within 
our country's founding framework as we conduct our legislative 
business. To our detriment, we often take the path of political 
expedience and ignore the limits so clearly written into the 
Constitution.
  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 our new generation of Americans.
  I urge you all to join me in cosponsoring the Support America Act and 
its vital passage.

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