Full Text of HJR0067 94th General Assembly
HJ0067 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
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HJ0067 |
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| HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION
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| WHEREAS, The Pledge of Allegiance (Pledge) is and has been | 3 |
| under attack by activist judges and courts, and the United | 4 |
| States 9th Circuit continues to assail the structure of the | 5 |
| Pledge; and
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| WHEREAS, The Pledge, including the phrase "one Nation under | 7 |
| God", reflects the historical fact that a belief in a higher | 8 |
| power permeated the founding and development of our Nation; it | 9 |
| is a recognition of the fact that many people believe in a | 10 |
| higher power and the value that our culture has traditionally | 11 |
| placed on the role of religion, in a general sense rather on | 12 |
| any specific religion, in our founding and our culture; and
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| WHEREAS, The First Amendment to the Constitution embodies | 14 |
| principles intended to guarantee freedom of religion both | 15 |
| through the free exercise thereof and by prohibiting the | 16 |
| government establishing a religion; and
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| WHEREAS, The Supreme Court has recognized that | 18 |
| governmental entities may, consistent with the First | 19 |
| Amendment, recognize the religious heritage of America; and
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| WHEREAS, Patriotic songs, engravings on United States | 21 |
| legal tender, and engravings on federal buildings contain | 22 |
| general references to "God"; and | 23 |
| WHEREAS, Congress, and many legislative chambers across | 24 |
| the nation, including the Illinois House, have consistently | 25 |
| supported the Pledge by starting each session with its | 26 |
| recitation; and | 27 |
| WHEREAS, The Pledge is recited tens of millions of times a | 28 |
| day, largely by students in schools across America; and |
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HJ0067 |
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LRB094 14361 RLC 49285 r |
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| WHEREAS, The recitation of the Pledge is voluntary, rather | 2 |
| than mandatory, on all levels and at all times; and | 3 |
| WHEREAS, The practice of voluntarily reciting the Pledge in | 4 |
| public school classrooms should not only continue but should be | 5 |
| encouraged by the policies of Congress, the various states, | 6 |
| municipalities, and public school officials; and | 7 |
| WHEREAS, Those who do not share the beliefs expressed in | 8 |
| the Pledge or who do not wish to pledge allegiance to the flag | 9 |
| of the United States of America have the right to refrain from | 10 |
| its recitation; and
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| WHEREAS, The phrase "one Nation under God" reflects that | 12 |
| religious faith and religious freedom was central to the | 13 |
| Founding Fathers, and thus to the founding of the Nation; | 14 |
| therefore, be it
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| RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE | 16 |
| NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE | 17 |
| SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that in line with the powers granted | 18 |
| to the several States in Article V of the Constitution of the | 19 |
| United States, we call for a Convention to propose an Amendment | 20 |
| to the federal Constitution to provide explicitly for the | 21 |
| constitutionality of public, non-sectarian expressions of | 22 |
| personal faith and reverence, including, but not limited to, | 23 |
| the current wording of the Pledge of Allegiance, and for no | 24 |
| other purpose; and be it further
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| RESOLVED, That we call upon Congress to draft and submit an | 26 |
| amendment of this type for ratification to the several States; | 27 |
| and be it further
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| RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution be transmitted to | 29 |
| the Senators and Representatives representing Illinois in | 30 |
| Congress.
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