IV 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 894 
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that strong public 
education in United States history and civics is essential to preserving 
the Nation’s founding ideals on the eve of the 250th anniversary of 
the United States. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 19, 2025 
Mr. COSTA submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
Committee on Education and Workforce 
RESOLUTION 
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that 
strong public education in United States history and 
civics is essential to preserving the Nation’s founding 
ideals on the eve of the 250th anniversary of the United 
States. 
Whereas the Declaration of Independence famously states 
that ‘‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all 
men are created equal,’’ and that governments derive 
‘‘their just powers from the consent of the governed’’; 
Whereas the American Revolution was a turning point in 
world history that helped transform subjects into citizens 
and launched a new experiment in self-government based 
on natural rights and the rule of law, reminding future 
generations that democracy is not automatic, but rather 
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the consequence of citizens willing to defend and renew 
those ideals; 
Whereas George Washington, drawing on experience in ear-
lier conflicts and enduring hardships alongside his troops, 
and learning from early military setbacks and failures, 
helped hold together the Continental Army and our frag-
ile new Nation; 
Whereas Washington set enduring essential precedents by re-
signing his commission as commander of the military and 
facilitated an historic and peaceful transfer of power as 
the first President of the United States; 
Whereas historic places such as Mount Vernon, Independence 
Hall, and other sites across the United States remind 
United States citizens that the Nation’s founding ideals 
were forged not in abstraction but through the choices 
and sacrifices of real people and communities, including 
ordinary soldiers, families, and neighbors whose lives 
were upended by the violence and uncertainty of war; 
Whereas strong instruction in United States history and 
civics in our Nation’s schools helps ensure that every stu-
dent, regardless of background or zip code, learns how 
the United States was founded, how its institutions work, 
and what it means to be an informed and responsible cit-
izen, recognizing that civic learning is a lifelong pursuit 
and a safeguard of the Republic; 
Whereas high-quality education in United States history and 
civics helps students understand core principles of the 
Nation’s founding, including individual liberty, equality 
under the law, representative democracy, and the respon-
sibilities of citizenship such as cultivating virtue, integ-
rity, and a sense of duty to the common good; 
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Whereas learning about the founding era, including the 
American Revolution and the drafting of the Declaration 
of Independence and the Constitution, equips students 
and adults alike to place current events in historical con-
text and to better appreciate the ongoing work of forming 
‘‘a more perfect Union’’, including the courage, conflicts, 
and sacrifices that marked the Nation’s earliest years; 
Whereas historians, classroom teachers, museums, historic 
sites, and documentary filmmakers have all helped 
United States citizens see the Nation’s past more clearly 
by telling stories that combine well-known leaders with 
the experiences of everyday people who also shaped the 
course of events, including through major documentary 
series and educational programs that present first-person 
perspectives on the founding era; 
Whereas the year 2026 will mark the 250th anniversary of 
the Declaration of Independence, and the America 250 
Caucus and other bipartisan efforts are working to en-
sure that this milestone strengthens civic knowledge, pa-
triotism, and national unity; and 
Whereas the semiquincentennial presents a unique oppor-
tunity to renew the Nation’s commitment to the founding 
ideals that, while not always perfectly realized, have in-
spired United States citizens and peoples around the 
world for nearly 250 years: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) reaffirms that strong history and civics edu-
cation in our Nation’s schools is essential to pre-
serving the United States founding ideals of liberty, 
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equality, and self-government, and to preparing the 
next generation to carry those ideals forward; 
(2) recognizes the upcoming 250th anniversary 
of the Declaration of Independence as an oppor-
tunity to strengthen civic knowledge, patriotism, and 
a shared understanding of the American story 
among students and the public at large, including a 
fuller appreciation of both the Nation’s achievements 
and its struggles during the Revolutionary era; 
(3) 
encourages 
States, 
territories, 
Indian 
Tribes, and local educational agencies to provide 
age-appropriate, fact-based instruction about the 
American Revolution, the Declaration of Independ-
ence, the Constitution, and key leaders such as 
George Washington and other figures who helped 
hold the early Republic together; 
(4) supports voluntary partnerships among pub-
lic schools, museums, libraries, historic sites, includ-
ing places such as Mount Vernon, veteran and civic 
organizations, and educational media producers to 
help students better understand how the United 
States was founded and how its institutions work; 
(5) recognizes the work of teachers, historians, 
and educational professionals, including those who 
produce classroom materials, documentaries, and 
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museum exhibits, who devote their careers to ensur-
ing that students learn about the Nation’s founding 
principles, its challenges, and the responsibilities of 
citizenship; and 
(6) encourages all United States citizens, and 
especially young people, to study and reflect on the 
examples of George Washington and other founding 
leaders, as well as the ordinary men and women 
whose courage and perseverance helped secure 
United States independence, and to strive in their 
own lives to live up to enduring American ideals of 
duty, integrity, public service, and placing country 
above self. 
Æ 
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