[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 16]
[Senate]
[Page 21596]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             ANNIVERSARY OF THE SIGNING OF THE CONSTITUTION

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I rise today to call attention to the 
upcoming anniversary of the signing of the Constitution of the United 
States of America. September 17, 1787, will mark the 222nd year that 
has passed since that final meeting in Independence Hall, when 39 
delegates supported the adoption of the Constitution.
  Beginning on May 25, 1787, 55 delegates gathered almost daily in the 
State House in Philadelphia to revise the Articles of Confederation. By 
the middle of June, it became apparent to the delegates that merely 
amending of the Articles of Confederation would not suffice. These 
inspired men worked together to form a new government that would embody 
the principals of liberty, democracy, and equality. What resulted was 
an entirely new document designed to bind the individual States more 
firmly into one nation by ceding greater power to the central 
government while still respecting the sovereignty of the States and the 
rights of the people. After being signed in September of 1787, Congress 
sent printed copies of the Constitution to the State legislatures for 
ratification. By June 21, 1788, nine States had approved the 
Constitution, finally forming ``a more perfect Union.''
  The Constitution of the United States of America stands today as our 
Nation's most sacred and inspired document. It is the oldest 
Constitution in the world and an enduring legacy of a generation of 
patriots eager to provide liberty and protection to the citizens of 
this new country. The Constitution is the basis for our laws, our 
rights, and our responsibilities as Americans. It is a gift for which 
we all should be grateful. As President Coolidge once remarked, ``To 
live under the American Constitution is the greatest political 
privilege that was ever accorded to the human race.''
  As our country continues to age, year by year, the importance of the 
Constitution will never fade. It is a living document, and is as 
relevant now as it was to its framers in the 18th century. I call upon 
my colleagues in the Senate to join me in celebrating the signing of 
the Constitution, and in turn, the assurance of our freedoms as 
citizens of the United States of America.

                          ____________________