IV 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 686 
Recommending that the United States Constitution be taught to high school 
students throughout the Nation in September of their senior year. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 28, 2009 
Mr. GRAYSON (for himself and Mr. PAUL) submitted the following resolution; 
which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor 
RESOLUTION 
Recommending that the United States Constitution be taught 
to high school students throughout the Nation in Sep-
tember of their senior year. 
Whereas the United States Constitution is the fundamental 
law of the United States; 
Whereas people in the United States of all ages, income lev-
els, and political beliefs fail tests of civic literacy; 
Whereas a 1998 survey revealed that more teenagers knew 
who the ‘‘Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’’ was than the Chief 
Justice of the Supreme Court, more knew the star of the 
motion picture ‘‘Titanic’’ than who was the vice president 
of the United States, and more can name the Three 
Stooges and the 3 American Idol judges than can name 
the 3 branches of government; 
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•HRES 686 IH 
Whereas three-quarters of people in the United States cannot 
distinguish the difference between a judge and a legis-
lator; 
Whereas fewer than half of all people in the United States 
can name the three branches of the United States Gov-
ernment; 
Whereas nearly half of the States in the Nation no longer re-
quire the teaching of civics and American history; 
Whereas students at top colleges and universities in the 
United States scored an average of only 59.4 percent for 
seniors and 56.6 percent for freshmen on tests of civic 
literacy; 
Whereas people in the United States aged 25 to 34 score an 
average of 46 percent on a test of civic literacy and peo-
ple aged 65 and over score the same 46 percent; 
Whereas research shows that an increase in civic knowledge, 
including that of the United States Constitution, almost 
invariably leads to the beneficial use of that knowledge; 
and 
Whereas research shows that greater civic learning leads to 
more active citizenship, and people in the United States 
who fulfill their civic obligations beyond voting are more 
knowledgeable about their country’s history and institu-
tions: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Rep-
resentatives that— 
(1) all high school seniors across the country 
should spend at least one week learning about the 
United States Constitution in September of their 
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•HRES 686 IH 
senior year, as knowledge of this historic document, 
which constitutes the very foundation of our country, 
is critical to being an effective citizen; and 
(2) upon reaching voting age, high school sen-
iors should petition the government on an issue of 
importance to them to demonstrate their under-
standing of their rights and responsibilities as citi-
zens of the United States. 
Æ 
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