[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 16]
[House]
[Page 21524]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




        TEACHING HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS ABOUT THE U.S. CONSTITUTION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Grayson) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. GRAYSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening to honor the United 
States Constitution. Earlier today, the House unanimously passed my 
bill, House Resolution 686, the Teach the Constitution Week resolution. 
Congressman Ron Paul and I combined our efforts on this important 
legislation because society is losing its knowledge of our Nation's 
most fundamental principles. The Constitution lays out the tenets of 
our Republic, and House Resolution 686 specifically proposes that 
seniors in high school across the Nation be taught about the 
Constitution at the start of their senior year in high school for 1 
week.
  Mr. Speaker, the Constitution is the highest law of the land. If 
we're not teaching our children about a document so fundamental to our 
Nation's past, present and future, then what are we teaching them? Too 
many Americans have no real understanding of the principles of this 
historic document. More teenagers can name the judges of American Idol 
and more teenagers can name the Three Stooges than can name the three 
branches of our government. This is a true disservice to our Nation and 
its citizens, and this is the reason why we should promote a better 
understanding of the Constitution on the part of our Nation's youth.
  The resolution also encourages seniors to petition the government on 
an issue of personal importance to them to demonstrate their 
understanding of their rights and responsibilities as citizens of the 
United States. They can write letters, organize a trip to Washington, 
D.C., to see Congress in action, or call their Representatives to voice 
their opinions about bills and laws in which they have an interest.
  Mr. Speaker, I am so pleased to say that earlier this afternoon, the 
House of Representatives passed House Resolution 686, just 3 days 
before we celebrate Constitution Day, which marks the 222nd anniversary 
of the original signing of the U.S. Constitution by members of the 
Constitutional Convention on September 17, 1787.
  I want to thank the 222 Representatives who signed on as cosponsors 
of this bipartisan bill. I hope that it will help to reinforce the 
great importance of the U.S. Constitution to our Nation.

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