IB
House Calendar No. 192
105TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. J. RES. 78
[Report No. 105–543]
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States restoring
religious freedom.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MAY 8, 1997
Mr. ISTOOK (for himself, Mr. BISHOP, Mr. ADERHOLT, Mr. ARMEY, Mr.
BACHUS, Mr. BAKER, Mr. BALLENGER, Mr. BARCIA, Mr. BARR of Geor-
gia, Mr. BARRETT of Nebraska, Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland, Mr. BAR-
TON of Texas, Mr. BLILEY, Mr. BLUNT, Mr. BONILLA, Mr. BUNNING,
Mr. BURTON of Indiana, Mr. CALLAHAN, Mr. CALVERT, Mr. CAMPBELL,
Mr. CHAMBLISS, Mrs. CHENOWETH, Mr. CHRISTENSEN, Mr. COBURN,
Mr. COLLINS, Mr. COMBEST, Mr. CONDIT, Mr. COOK, Mr. CRANE, Mr.
CRAPO, Mrs. CUBIN, Mr. CUNNINGHAM, Mr. DEAL of Georgia, Mr.
DELAY, Mr. DIAZ-BALART, Mr. DICKEY, Mr. DOOLITTLE, Mr. DUNCAN,
Mrs. EMERSON, Mr. EVERETT, Mr. FLAKE, Mr. GINGRICH, Mr. GOODE,
Mr. GOODLING, Mr. GRAHAM, Mr. HALL of Texas, Mr. HANSEN, Mr.
HAYWORTH, Mr. HEFLEY, Mr. HERGER, Mr. HILL, Mr. HILLEARY, Mr.
HOEKSTRA, Mr. HUNTER, Mr. HUTCHINSON, Mr. INGLIS of South Caro-
lina, Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. JONES, Mr. KASICH, Mr. KIM, Mr.
KINGSTON, Mr. LAHOOD, Mr. LARGENT, Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky, Mr.
LINDER, Mr. LIPINSKI, Mr. LIVINGSTON, Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma, Mr.
MCCOLLUM, Mr. MCCRERY, Mr. MCHUGH, Mr. MCINNIS, Mr.
MCINTOSH, Mr. MCKEON, Mr. MICA, Mrs. MYRICK, Mr. NEUMANN, Mr.
NORWOOD, Mr. PACKARD, Mr. PAPPAS, Mr. PARKER, Mr. PAUL, Mr.
PAXON, Mr. PETERSON of Pennsylvania, Mr. PICKERING, Mr. PITTS, Mr.
POMBO, Mr. RADANOVICH, Mr. RAHALL, Mr. RILEY, Mr. ROGERS, Mr.
ROHRABACHER, Mr. ROYCE, Mr. SCARBOROUGH, Mr. BOB SCHAFFER of
Colorado, Mr. SESSIONS, Mr. SKEEN, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, Mrs.
LINDA SMITH of Washington, Mr. SNOWBARGER, Mr. SOLOMON, Mr.
SPENCE, Mr. STEARNS, Mr. STENHOLM, Mr. TAUZIN, Mr. TAYLOR of
North Carolina, Mr. TAYLOR of Mississippi, Mr. THORNBERRY, Mr.
THUNE, Mr. TIAHRT, Mr. TRAFICANT, Mr. WAMP, Mr. WATKINS, Mr.
WATTS of Oklahoma, Mr. WELDON of Florida, Mr. WHITFIELD, Mr.
•HJ 78 RH
WICKER, and Mr. YOUNG of Alaska) introduced the following joint resolu-
tion; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
MAY 19, 1998
Additional sponsors: Mr. HASTERT, Mr. HULSHOF, Mr. EHLERS, Mr. HEF-
NER, Mr. SOUDER, Mr. BOEHNER, Mr. MANZULLO, Mr. SENSEN-
BRENNER, Mr. NEY, Mrs. BONO, Mr. METCALF, Mr. NUSSLE, Mr. GOSS,
Ms. DUNN of Washington, Mr. CAMP, Mr. BATEMAN, Mr. MCINTYRE,
Mr. COOKSEY, Mr. COBLE, Mr. REDMOND, Ms. CHRISTIAN-GREEN, Mr.
BEREUTER, Mr. DAN SCHAEFER of Colorado, Mr. GEKAS, Mr. GIBBONS,
Mr. HASTINGS of Washington, Mr. RIGGS, Mr. SHUSTER, Mr. BRADY,
Mr. CANNON, Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota, Mr. JOHN, Mr. GOODLATTE,
Mr. GALLEGLY, Mr. ROGAN, and Mr. OXLEY
MAY 19, 1998
Reported with an amendment, referred to the House Calendar, and ordered
to be printed
[Strike out all after the resolving clause and insert the part printed in italic]
JOINT RESOLUTION
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United
States restoring 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:
•HJ 78 RH
‘‘ARTICLE —
‘‘SECTION 1. To secure the people’s right to acknowl-
edge God according to the dictates of conscience: The peo-
ple’s right to pray and to recognize their religious beliefs,
heritage, or traditions on public property, including
schools, shall not be infringed. The Government shall not
require any person to join in prayer or other religious ac-
tivity, initiate or designate school prayers, discriminate
against religion, or deny equal access to a benefit on ac-
count of religion.’’.
That the following article is proposed as an amendment to
the Constitution 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:
‘‘ARTICLE —
‘‘To secure the people’s right to acknowledge God ac-
cording to the dictates of conscience: Neither the United
States nor any State shall establish any official religion,
but the people’s right to pray and to recognize their reli-
gious beliefs, heritage, or traditions on public property, in-
cluding schools, shall not be infringed. Neither the United
States nor any State shall require any person to join in
prayer or other religious activity, prescribe school prayers,