IV 
108TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 528
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that France should 
modify or abandon its ban on religious articles and symbols in state 
schools and respect the freedom of all to practice their religious faith 
without state interference. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 11, 2004
Mr. SHERMAN (for himself and Mr. HONDA) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations 
RESOLUTION 
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that 
France should modify or abandon its ban on religious 
articles and symbols in state schools and respect the 
freedom of all to practice their religious faith without 
state interference.
Whereas in February 2004 the French National Assembly 
approved a bill banning conspicuous religious articles and 
symbols in state schools; 
Whereas the bill stipulates that ‘‘in schools, junior high 
schools and high schools, signs and dress that conspicu-
ously show the religious affiliation of students are forbid-
den’’;
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Whereas the bill forbids students from wearing any of the fol-
lowing dress or symbols, for example, the Muslim 
headscarf, ‘‘plainly excessive’’ crosses, yarmulkes, and 
Sikh turbans; 
Whereas the display of religious insignia on one’s body is con-
sidered a central tenet and injunction in many of the 
world’s religions; 
Whereas to prohibit Muslim, Jewish, Christian, and Sikh stu-
dents from displaying religious insignia is tantamount to 
depriving them from practicing their religion; 
Whereas in 1989, the highest French administrative court 
ruled that the wearing of religious insignia in state 
schools was permissible as long as it was not done with 
the aim of ‘‘pressure, provocation, proselytism or propa-
ganda’’; 
Whereas equating any immediately visible personal expression 
of faith with proselytism or propaganda misrepresents 
the nature of such practices and distorts the public un-
derstanding of religious devotion; 
Whereas the bill may violate France’s commitment to the Eu-
ropean Convention on Human Rights, under which indi-
viduals are guaranteed the freedom to manifest religion 
and belief, in public as well as in private; 
Whereas in June 2001 France enacted the widely condemned 
About-Picard law, which empowers the state to dissolve 
religious institutions where the actual or perceived lead-
ers of the institution have committed certain criminal of-
fenses; 
Whereas France continues to defend this law despite protests 
by the United States Government, The Council of Eu-
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rope, and major religious and human rights organiza-
tions; and 
Whereas state control over personal expressions of faith runs 
counter to the free exercise of religion, the freedom of 
speech, and the separation of church and state, and 
threatens mutual toleration of religions and between reli-
gious groups and governments: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives—
(1) calls upon the Government of France to re-
spect the right of all religious individuals to practice 
freely their religion and to display insignia of their 
faith; and 
(2) joins the United States Commission on 
International Religious Freedom in recommending 
that the United States Government urge the Govern-
ment of France to reassess this initiative in light of 
its international obligations to ensure that every per-
son in France is guaranteed the freedom to manifest 
his or her religion or belief in public.
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