IA 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. J. RES. 57
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States protecting 
religious freedom. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 30, 2005
Mr. ISTOOK (for himself, Mr. BISHOP of Georgia, Mr. ADERHOLT, Mr. AKIN, 
Mr. ALEXANDER, Mr. BACHUS, Mr. BAKER, Mr. BARRETT of South 
Carolina, Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland, Mr. BARTON of Texas, Mr. 
BEAUPREZ, Mr. BISHOP of Utah, Mr. BONILLA, Mr. BONNER, Mr. 
BOOZMAN, Mr. BOUSTANY, Mr. BRADY of Texas, Mr. BROWN of South 
Carolina, Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida, Mr. BURGESS, Mr. BUR-
TON of Indiana, Mr. CALVERT, Mr. CARTER, Mr. CHABOT, Mr. CHOCOLA, 
Mr. COBLE, Mr. COLE of Oklahoma, Mr. CONAWAY, Mrs. CUBIN, Mr. 
CULBERSON, Mr. DAVIS of Kentucky, Mrs. JO ANN DAVIS of Virginia, 
Mr. DEAL of Georgia, Mr. DELAY, Mr. DOOLITTLE, Mr. DUNCAN, Mrs. 
EMERSON, Mr. ENGLISH of Pennsylvania, Mr. EVERETT, Mr. FEENEY, 
Mr. FLAKE, Mr. FORBES, Ms. FOXX, Mr. FRANKS of Arizona, Mr. GAR-
RETT of New Jersey, Mr. GIBBONS, Mr. GINGREY, Mr. GOODE, Mr. 
HALL, Ms. HARRIS, Mr. HAYWORTH, Mr. HEFLEY, Mr. HENSARLING, 
Mr. HERGER, Mr. HOEKSTRA, Mr. HUNTER, Mr. ISSA, Mr. SAM JOHN-
SON of Texas, Mr. JONES of North Carolina, Mr. KING of Iowa, Mr. 
KINGSTON, Mr. KUHL of New York, Mr. LAHOOD, Mr. LEWIS of Ken-
tucky, Mr. LINDER, Mr. LUCAS, Mr. MARCHANT, Mr. MCCAUL of Texas, 
Mr. MCCRERY, Mr. MCHENRY, Mr. MCINTYRE, Mr. MILLER of Florida, 
Mrs. MUSGRAVE, Mrs. MYRICK, Mr. NEUGEBAUER, Mr. NORWOOD, Mr. 
OTTER, Mr. PEARCE, Mr. PENCE, Mr. PETERSON of Pennsylvania, Mr. 
PITTS, Mr. PLATTS, Mr. PRICE of Georgia, Mr. RADANOVICH, Mr. RA-
HALL, Mr. RENZI, Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky, Mr. ROGERS of Michigan, 
Mr. ROGERS of Alabama, Mr. RYUN of Kansas, Mr. SESSIONS, Mr. 
SHIMKUS, Mr. SHUSTER, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, Mr. SOUDER, Mr. 
STEARNS, Mr. SULLIVAN, Mr. TANCREDO, Mr. TAYLOR of North Caro-
lina, Mr. TAYLOR of Mississippi, Mr. TERRY, Mr. TIAHRT, Mr. WAMP, 
Mr. WELDON of Florida, Mr. WESTMORELAND, Mr. WHITFIELD, Mr. 
WICKER, Mr. WILSON of South Carolina, Mr. JINDAL, Mr. DAVIS of Ten-
nessee, and Mr. HAYES) introduced the following joint resolution; which 
was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
•HJ 57 IH 
JOINT RESOLUTION 
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United 
States protecting religious freedom.
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the United States of America in Congress assembled
(two-thirds of each House concurring therein), That the fol-
lowing article is proposed as an amendment to the Con-
stitution of the United States, which shall be valid to all 
intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when 
ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several 
States within seven years after the date of its submission 
for ratification, and is intended to include protection of 
the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, the display of the 
Ten Commandments, and voluntary school prayer: 
‘‘ARTICLE —
‘‘To secure the people’s right to acknowledge God ac-
cording to the dictates of conscience: 
‘‘The people retain the right to pray and to rec-
ognize their religious beliefs, heritage, and traditions 
on public property, including schools. 
‘‘The United States and the States shall not es-
tablish any official religion nor require any person to 
join in prayer or religious activity.’’.
Æ