IV 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. CON. RES. 96 
Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the public health, safety, and 
welfare implications of licensure of design professionals. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 8, 2024 
Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania submitted the following concurrent resolution; 
which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 
Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the public health, 
safety, and welfare implications of licensure of design 
professionals. 
Whereas the several States have traditionally licensed individ-
uals in the practice of certain design occupations, with 
California having passed the first surveying licensure law 
in 1891, Illinois having passed the first architecture li-
censing law in 1897, and Wyoming having passed the 
first engineering licensure law in 1907; 
Whereas all 50 States, as well as territories and possessions, 
license individuals in the design profession disciplines; 
Whereas the National Transportation Safety Board has rec-
ognized the importance of professional licensing among 
certain design professions, most recently in NTSB/PSR– 
18/02, an incident safety report regarding a natural gas 
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distribution system in the northeast region of the 
Merrimack Valley, Massachusetts; 
Whereas, more than 30 years ago, Congress recognized the 
importance of professional licensing in design disciplines 
in its report titled ‘‘Structural Failures in Public Facili-
ties’’ (H. Rept. 98–61), which recommended ‘‘all nec-
essary architectural and engineering design and on-site 
services in public construction projects are furnished by 
licensed professionals who are qualified and experienced 
to assure the construction of safe structures’’; and 
Whereas many States are reducing requirements for, or elimi-
nating the licensing of, certain occupations due to con-
cerns over competition, market entry, and overregulation 
that do not serve the public interest, but in many cases 
the aforementioned State actions do not distinguish those 
professional design occupations in which licensing has a 
significant benefit to public health, safety, and welfare: 
Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that— 
(1) occupations in design professions, including 
but not limited to architecture, engineering, sur-
veying, and mapping, are essential to the integrity of 
the built and natural environment and critical to the 
successful research, planning, design, construction, 
development, alteration, repair, operation, and main-
tenance of real property, the Nation’s physical infra-
structure, and resource planning activities, including 
the assessment, location, and development of critical 
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materials, that contribute to maintaining the coun-
try’s economic prosperity, national security, and en-
vironmental protection; and 
(2) continuation of licensure of such occupa-
tions and professions by the several States is in the 
best interest of public health, safety, and welfare. 
Æ 
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