IV
104TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. CON. RES. 161
Authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the Washington for Jesus
1996 prayer rally.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
APRIL 15, 1996
Mr. STOCKMAN submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was
referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the
Washington for Jesus 1996 prayer rally.
Whereas One Nation Under God, Inc. the (‘‘Sponsor’’) has
sponsored two previous prayer rallies entitled Washington
for Jesus in the city of Washington and plans a third
such event over a two-day period on April 29 and 30,
1996;
Whereas public assembly for giving thanks and praying for
the United States is a tradition in this Nation dating
from before the Nation’s founding and commemorated
each year by a national Thanksgiving holiday;
Whereas the Capitol Grounds are public property and should
be made available and accessible to all groups on an
equal basis with one another;
•HCON 161 IH
Whereas the Washington for Jesus prayer rally provides for
the peaceable assembly and public expression of peoples
of all faiths to pray and give thanks for the United
States;
Whereas the Sponsor first submitted an application to the
Capitol Police Board on April 18, 1994 for the use of the
Capitol Grounds for the event to be conducted over April
29 and 30, 1996;
Whereas the Capitol Police Board just recently advised the
Sponsor that congressional authorization is required for
any event on Capitol Grounds lasting more than two
days, inclusive of setup, takedown, and cleanup; and
Whereas the Sponsor requests one extra day before the event
to accommodate setup, takedown, and prepare for a thor-
ough cleanup: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring),
SECTION. 1. AUTHORIZATION.
(a) IN GENERAL.—One Nation Under God, Inc.,
shall be permitted to sponsor a public event over a two-
day period on April 29 and 30, 1996, plus one day before
such event to fully accommodate and prepare for setup,
takedown, and cleanup (referred to as the ‘‘event’’).
(b) TERMS AND CONDITIONS.—The event shall be
free of any admission charge to the public and arranged
so as not to interfere with the needs of Congress, subject
to conditions to be prescribed by the Architect of the Cap-
itol and the Capitol Police Board. The Sponsor shall as-
•HCON 161 IH
sume full responsibility for all expenses incident to all ac-
tivities associated with the event and may collect an offer-
ing from those attending to pay for such expenses and
activities.
(c) STRUCTURES AND EQUIPMENT.—For the pur-
poses of this resolution, the Sponsor is authorized to erect
upon the Capitol Grounds such stage, sound amplification
devices, and related structures and equipment as may be
required to conduct the event, subject to approval of the
Architect of the Capitol.
(d) ADDITIONAL ARRANGEMENTS.—The Architect of
the Capitol and the Capitol Police Board are authorized
to make any such additional arrangements as may be nec-
essary to carry out the event consistent with good order,
public health, safety, and protection of the Capitol and
its Grounds.
SEC. 2. SPONSORSHIP OR ENDORSEMENT.
Nothing contained in this resolution shall be consid-
ered or construed as an endorsement of Sponsor’s event
or related activities or expressions, religious or otherwise.
The Sponsor shall not represent either directly or indi-
rectly that this resolution or any activity carried out under
this resolution in any way constitutes approval or endorse-
ment by the United States Government, or any of its agen-