III 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 747 

Recognizing the opening of the nonsectarian Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C., the only museum of its size and scope in the world devoted 

exclusively to the Bible. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JANUARY 2, 2019 

Mr. CORNYN (for himself, Mr. COONS, Mr. LANKFORD, Mr. BLUNT, Mr. 

BOOZMAN, Mr. INHOFE, Mr. RISCH, Mr. ROUNDS, Mr. THUNE, Mr. 

BURR, Mr. PERDUE, and Mr. ENZI) submitted the following resolution; 

which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the opening of the nonsectarian Museum of the 

Bible in Washington, D.C., the only museum of its size 

and scope in the world devoted exclusively to the Bible. 

Whereas the Bible has played a prominent role in the culture 

of the United States and has been a significant influence 

throughout the history of our Nation; 

Whereas, in 1956, Congress passed a Joint Resolution adopting ‘‘In God We Trust’’ as the official motto of the 

United States; 

Whereas, in 1982, Congress passed the Joint Resolution entitled ‘‘Joint Resolution authorizing and requesting the 

President to proclaim 1983 as the ‘Year of the Bible’ ’’ 

(Public Law 97–280), finding that the Bible ‘‘has made 


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•SRES 747 IS 

a unique contribution in shaping the United States as a 

distinctive and blessed nation and people’’; 

Whereas, on November 17, 2017, the Museum of the Bible 

opened a 430,000 square foot nonprofit museum in 

Washington, D.C., 3 blocks from the Capitol, and will be 

free to all visitors; 

Whereas the Museum of the Bible is a nonsectarian institution that does not promote any faith or denomination; 

Whereas, in 2014, the architectural concept submission for 

the Museum of the Bible was approved by the Commission of Fine Arts, the local Washington, D.C., Advisory 

Neighborhood Commission, and the Historic Preservation 

Review Board, and the primary building of the Museum 

of the Bible was awarded historical status by the Historic 

Preservation Review Board; 

Whereas the Museum of the Bible will have 3 primary exhibit 

floors focused on the history, narrative, and impact of the 

Bible; 

Whereas the entrance to the Museum of the Bible will feature 

two 40-foot-tall bronze panels that contain the first lines 

of Genesis in Latin, as originally printed in the Gutenberg Bible, and art glass panels featuring a papyrus containing the 19th psalm; and 

Whereas the Museum of the Bible is an innovative, global, 

nonsectarian educational institution the purpose of which 

is to permit all people to engage with the Bible: Now, 

therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) recognizes the opening of the Museum of 

3 the Bible in Washington, D.C., the first nonVerDate Sep 11 2014 20:04 Jan 03, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR747.IS SR747

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•SRES 747 IS 

1 sectarian museum of its kind in the capital of the 

2 United States focused exclusively on the history, 

3 narrative, and impact of the Bible; and 

4 (2) commends the leadership, staff, scholars, 

5 designers, construction workers, and volunteers who 

6 worked tirelessly to realize the goal of opening a mu7 seum, free to the public, with the nonsectarian pur8 pose of ‘‘inviting all people to engage with the 

9 Bible’’. 

Æ 


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