III 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 338 

Designating September 2021 as National Democracy Month as a time to 

reflect on the contributions of the system of government of the United 

States to a more free and stable world. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

AUGUST 5, 2021 

Mr. DURBIN (for himself and Mr. GRASSLEY) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Designating September 2021 as National Democracy Month 

as a time to reflect on the contributions of the system 

of government of the United States to a more free and 

stable world. 

Whereas, 2,000 years after the ancient Greeks laid the 

groundwork for democracy, the founders of the United 

States built an even greater system of government, a 

democratic republic, propelling the United States to become the most advanced nation in human history; 

Whereas the model of government of the United States has 

been reproduced around the world; 

Whereas, according to Freedom House, more than 1 in 3 people in the world do not live in states considered free; 


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•SRES 338 IS 

Whereas the Constitution of the United States and the Bill 

of Rights, including the addition of the Reconstruction 

Era amendments, enshrine the rights and civil liberties of 

citizens of the United States, including the right to vote 

in free and fair elections; 

Whereas the perpetuation of the ideals of democracy does not 

happen on its own and can be stalled or reversed; 

Whereas surveys show that citizens of the United States are 

losing faith in the democratic system; 

Whereas former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor said, ‘‘The practice of democracy is not passed down 

through the gene pool. It must be taught and learned 

anew by each generation of citizens.’’; 

Whereas President John F. Kennedy said, ‘‘Democracy is 

never a final achievement. It is a call to untiring effort, 

to continual sacrifice and to the willingness, if necessary, 

to die in its defense.’’; 

Whereas President Ronald Reagan said, ‘‘Democracy is worth 

dying for, because it’s the most deeply honorable form of 

government ever devised by man.’’; 

Whereas Congressman John R. Lewis said, in his final words 

to the United States, ‘‘Democracy is not a state. It is an 

act, and each generation must do its part to help build 

what we called the Beloved Community, a nation and 

world society at peace with itself.’’; 

Whereas World War II demonstrated the fragility of democracy and the civilized life that accompanies democracy; 

Whereas British Prime Minister Winston Churchill observed 

that, ‘‘Indeed it has been said that democracy is the 

worst form of Government except for all those other 

forms that have been tried from time to time . . . .’’; 


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•SRES 338 IS 

Whereas President George Washington said the United 

States must recognize the immense value of the national 

Union and work towards preservation of that Union with 

‘‘jealous anxiety’’ and wrote that the security of a free 

Constitution may be accomplished by ‘‘teaching the people themselves to know and to value their own rights’’; 

Whereas President Thomas Jefferson wrote, ‘‘Educate and 

inform the whole mass of the people . . . . They are the 

only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty.’’; 

and 

Whereas the Government of the United States must teach 

and educate the people by taking appropriate actions to 

highlight and emphasize the importance of democratic 

principles and the essential role of democratic principles 

in the freedoms and way of life enjoyed by the people of 

the United States: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) designates September 2021 as ‘‘National 

3 Democracy Month’’; 

4 (2) encourages States and local governments to 

5 designate September 2021 as ‘‘National Democracy 

6 Month’’; 

7 (3) recognizes the celebration of ‘‘National De8 mocracy Month’’ as a time to reflect on the con9 tributions of the system of government of the United 

10 States to a more free and stable world; and 


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•SRES 338 IS 

1 (4) encourages the people of the United States 

2 to observe ‘‘National Democracy Month’’ with appro3 priate ceremonies and activities that— 

4 (A) provide appreciation for the system of 

5 government of the United States; and 

6 (B) demonstrate that the people of the 

7 United States shall never forget the sacrifices 

8 made by past generations of people of the 

9 United States to preserve the freedoms and 

10 principles of the United States. 

Æ 


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