III 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 860 

Designating the week of October 6, 2024, through October 12, 2024, as 

‘‘Religious Education Week’’ to celebrate religious education in the 

United States. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 25, 2024 

Mr. GRAHAM (for himself, Mr. BARRASSO, Mrs. BLACKBURN, Mr. BRAUN, 

Mrs. BRITT, Mrs. CAPITO, Mr. CORNYN, Mr. COTTON, Mr. CRAMER, Mr. 

CRAPO, Mr. DAINES, Mr. HAGERTY, Mr. HAWLEY, Mrs. HYDE-SMITH, 

Mr. KENNEDY, Mr. LANKFORD, Ms. LUMMIS, Mr. MARSHALL, Mr. 

MULLIN, Mr. RISCH, Mr. RUBIO, Mr. SCHMITT, Mr. SCOTT of Florida, 

Mr. SCOTT of South Carolina, Mr. TUBERVILLE, Mr. WICKER, and Mr. 

YOUNG) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Designating the week of October 6, 2024, through October 

12, 2024, as ‘‘Religious Education Week’’ to celebrate 

religious education in the United States. 

Whereas the free exercise of religion is an inherent, fundamental, and inalienable right protected by the First 

Amendment to the Constitution of the United States; 

Whereas the United States has long recognized that the free 

exercise of religion is important to the intellectual, ethical, moral, and civic development of individuals in the 


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•SRES 860 IS 

United States, as evidenced by the Founders of the 

United States, such as— 

(1) Benjamin Franklin, who believed religion to be 

‘‘uniquely capable of educating a citizenry for democracy’’; and 

(2) George Washington, who said in his farewell address, ‘‘Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to 

political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports.’’; 

Whereas religious education is useful for self-development because it asks students to consider and respond to questions concerning the meaning and purpose of life, engages students in questions about morality and justice, 

and enables students to identify their values; 

Whereas studies like the one published by the International 

Journal of Mental Health Systems in 2019 have shown 

that religious education can be ‘‘instrumental to improving adolescent mental health’’ by helping children learn 

how to make decisions based on morals, promoting less 

risky choices, and encouraging connectedness within a 

community, which can enhance self-esteem and wellbeing; 

Whereas religious education fosters respect for other religious 

groups and individuals generally by acknowledging a 

source for human dignity and worth; 

Whereas the Supreme Court of the United States found in 

Pierce v. Society of Sisters, 268 U.S. 510 (1925), that 

the State does not have power ‘‘to standardize its children by forcing them to accept instruction from public 

teachers only. The child is not the mere creature of the 

state; those who nurture him and direct his destiny have 


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•SRES 860 IS 

the right, coupled with the high duty, to recognize and 

prepare him for additional obligations.’’; 

Whereas religious instruction can come from a variety of 

sources, including sectarian schools and released time 

programs; 

Whereas, according to the National Center for Education 

Statistics, in 2015, 4,350,000 children in the United 

States attended sectarian elementary and secondary 

schools where those children received religious education; 

and 

Whereas the Supreme Court of the United States held in 

Zorach v. Clauson, 343 U.S. 306 (1952), that State statutes providing for the release of public school students 

from school to attend religious classes are constitutional, 

and, as a result, an estimated 540,000 public school students in the United States take advantage of released 

time programs each year: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) affirms the importance of religious edu3 cation in the civic and moral development of the peo4 ple of the United States; 

5 (2) celebrates the schools and organizations 

6 that are engaged in religious instruction of the chil7 dren of the United States to aid those children in in8 tellectual, ethical, moral, and civic development; 

9 (3) calls on each of the 50 States, each terri10 tory of the United States, and the District of Colum11 bia to accommodate individuals who wish to be reVerDate Sep 11 2014 03:41 Sep 27, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR860.IS SR860

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•SRES 860 IS 

1 leased from public school attendance to attend reli2 gious classes; and 

3 (4) designates the week of October 6, 2024, 

4 through October 12, 2024, as ‘‘Religious Education 

5 Week’’. 

Æ 


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