Full Text of HR1412 099th General Assembly
HR1412 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 1 | | HOUSE RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, Constitution Day and Citizenship Day is a national | 3 | | observance that commemorates the formation and signing of the | 4 | | Constitution of the United States on September 17, 1787; and
| 5 | | WHEREAS, The President of the United States may issue a | 6 | | proclamation each year calling on government officials within | 7 | | the nation to display the country's flag on government | 8 | | buildings on Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, as well as | 9 | | inviting the people to observe this event in schools, churches, | 10 | | or other suitable places with appropriate ceremonies; and
| 11 | | WHEREAS, On Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, an event | 12 | | which falls during Constitution Week, many people in the United | 13 | | States recognize the anniversary of the Constitution and the | 14 | | efforts and responsibilities of all citizens; in the summer of | 15 | | 1787, delegates convened in Philadelphia to create "a more | 16 | | perfect union" and to craft the Constitution; they worked to | 17 | | develop a framework that would provide balance and protect | 18 | | freedoms, taking into account federal and state interests, as | 19 | | well as individual human rights; the delegates signed the | 20 | | Constitution of the United States on September 17, 1787; by | 21 | | June 21, 1788, the Constitution was ratified by nine of the 13 | 22 | | states; and
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| 1 | | WHEREAS, In 1939, newspaper magnate William Randolph | 2 | | Hearst advocated a day to celebrate United States citizenship; | 3 | | in 1940, Congress created "I Am an American Day" to be | 4 | | celebrated on the third Sunday in May; on February 29, 1952, | 5 | | President Harry Truman signed "Citizenship Day" into law, | 6 | | replacing "I Am an American Day"; on August 2, 1956, Congress | 7 | | requested that the president proclaim the week beginning | 8 | | September 17 and ending September 23 of each year as | 9 | | "Constitution Week"; in December of 2004, a federal law was | 10 | | enacted that designated September 17 as "Constitution Day and | 11 | | Citizenship Day"; and | 12 | | WHEREAS, Positive images of United States citizens of all | 13 | | backgrounds have been used to promote the "Citizenship" element | 14 | | of Constitution Day and Citizenship Day; the colors of the | 15 | | United States flag, as well as images of the flag, have been | 16 | | used in artwork for promotional material for the day, and | 17 | | painted images of the Constitution's founders are also used to | 18 | | illustrate the importance of the meaning behind the day; the | 19 | | words "We the People", the first words of the Constitution, | 20 | | have been highlighted in promotional materials to symbolize | 21 | | unity and cooperation within the nation; and
| 22 | | WHEREAS, Various civil and educational authorities and | 23 | | individuals throughout the United States observe Constitution | 24 | | Day and Citizenship Day through a range of events and |
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| 1 | | activities each year; the Center for Civic Education provides | 2 | | lesson topics on Constitution Day and Citizenship Day for | 3 | | students at different levels and the United States Department | 4 | | of Education provides various resources on the event; | 5 | | educational institutions that receive federal funds also hold | 6 | | educational programs on the United States Constitution on | 7 | | September 17 each year; and
| 8 | | WHEREAS, It is fitting and proper that the members of this | 9 | | body join the national celebration of Constitution Day and | 10 | | Citizenship Day; therefore, be it
| 11 | | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE | 12 | | NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we | 13 | | recognize the date of September 17 as Constitution Day and | 14 | | Citizenship Day in the United States and encourage the citizens | 15 | | of this State to join us in celebrating this important date in | 16 | | our nation's history.
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