IV 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 773 
Honoring the foundational principle of separation of church and state, oppos-
ing extreme right-wing Christian nationalism, and recognizing the 65th 
anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s address to the Greater 
Houston Ministerial Association and 150th anniversary of President 
Ulysses S. Grant’s speech to the Society of the Army of the Tennessee. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 30, 2025 
Ms. ANSARI (for herself, Mr. HUFFMAN, Mr. RASKIN, Ms. BALINT, Ms. 
BONAMICI, Mr. CARSON, Mr. DOGGETT, Mrs. FLETCHER, Mr. JOHNSON 
of Georgia, Ms. JAYAPAL, Mr. NADLER, Ms. NORTON, Ms. SALINAS, Mr. 
THANEDAR, and Ms. TLAIB) submitted the following resolution; which 
was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 
RESOLUTION 
Honoring the foundational principle of separation of church 
and state, opposing extreme right-wing Christian nation-
alism, and recognizing the 65th anniversary of President 
John F. Kennedy’s address to the Greater Houston Min-
isterial Association and 150th anniversary of President 
Ulysses S. Grant’s speech to the Society of the Army 
of the Tennessee. 
Whereas the United States was founded upon the principles 
of religious freedom and the protection of individual con-
science; 
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•HRES 773 IH 
Whereas the Founders of this Nation envisioned a country in 
which every individual is free to practice any faith, or no 
faith at all, without fear of discrimination or hostility 
from the Government; 
Whereas the concept of separation of church and state, often 
articulated as ‘‘a wall of separation’’, was deeply impor-
tant to many of the Founding Fathers, including James 
Madison and Thomas Jefferson, who famously used the 
phrase in his 1802 letter to the Danbury Baptists em-
phasizing the distinct spheres of government and reli-
gious belief; 
Whereas James Madison, often referred to as the ‘‘Father of 
the Constitution’’, was a strong advocate for religious lib-
erty and authored the Memorial and Remonstrance 
Against Religious Assessments, arguing against state 
support for religious instruction and further solidifying 
the intellectual foundations for the separation principle; 
Whereas these values are enshrined in the First Amendment 
to the Constitution, which states that ‘‘Congress shall 
make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or 
prohibiting the free exercise thereof’’; 
Whereas 150 years have passed since Ulysses S. Grant’s Sep-
tember 29, 1875, speech to the Society of the Army of 
the Tennessee where he emphasized the Founders’ inten-
tions, articulating that religious matters should ‘‘forever 
be left to the family, church, and private schools, and not 
involve government funding or influence’’ and under-
scored the importance of free thought, free speech, and 
religious liberty for all citizens; 
Whereas the dual protections of the Establishment Clause 
and the Free Exercise Clause have been consistently in-
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•HRES 773 IH 
terpreted by the Supreme Court to mandate a separation 
between government and religious institutions, ensuring 
that the state does not favor or disfavor any religion, and 
that individuals are free to practice their faith, or no 
faith at all, without government coercion; 
Whereas landmark Supreme Court decisions, including 
Everson v. Board of Education (1947), which applied the 
Establishment Clause to the States, McCollum v. Board 
of Education (1948), which prohibited religious instruc-
tion in public schools, and Engel v. Vitale (1962), which 
prohibited public school-sponsored prayer, have, based on 
the history and intent of the Clauses, consistently af-
firmed and elaborated upon these principles; and the Su-
preme Court continues to rely on its landmark decisions; 
Whereas the strength and vibrancy of the United States lie 
in its diverse, multicultural, and religiously pluralistic so-
ciety, as well as those who identify as nonreligious or ag-
nostic; 
Whereas the rise of extreme right-wing Christian nationalism, 
which seeks to use the power of government to impose a 
narrow religious dogma and orthodoxy on the American 
people, poses a significant threat to the principles of reli-
gious diversity, democratic governance, and the constitu-
tional separation of church and state; 
Whereas nearly one-third of the population of the United 
States identifies as religious ‘‘nones’’ and nearly three- 
quarters of adults in the United States say religion 
should be kept separate from government policies; 
Whereas many religious leaders and organizations recognize 
and advocate for the importance of the separation of 
church and state, understanding it to be a safeguard for 
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•HRES 773 IH 
religious integrity and freedom from government inter-
ference; 
Whereas, on September 12, 1960, then-Senator John F. Ken-
nedy, a Catholic presidential candidate, delivered a land-
mark speech to the Greater Houston Ministerial Associa-
tion directly addressing concerns about his faith and its 
potential impact on his presidency; 
Whereas, in his address, Kennedy unequivocally affirmed his 
belief in an America ‘‘where the separation of church and 
state is absolute’’, stating, ‘‘I believe in a President 
whose religious views are his own private affair, neither 
imposed by him upon the nation, nor imposed by the na-
tion upon him as a condition to holding that office’’; 
Whereas Kennedy’s speech reaffirmed that a public servant’s 
primary obligation should be to the Constitution and the 
Nation, rather than to any religion; and 
Whereas the 65th anniversary of this historic speech provides 
an opportune moment to reflect upon and reaffirm the 
enduring importance of the separation of church and 
state as a cornerstone of American democracy and reli-
gious freedom and particularly to oppose the rise of ex-
treme right-wing Christian nationalism: Now, therefore, 
be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) honors the Founding Fathers’ fundamental 
principle of separation of church and state and op-
poses extreme right-wing Christian nationalism, 
(2) recognizes the 65th anniversary of Presi-
dent John F. Kennedy’s address to the Greater 
Houston Ministerial Association and the 150th anni-
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•HRES 773 IH 
versary of President Ulysses S. Grant’s speech to 
the Society of the Army of the Tennessee; 
(3) acknowledges the profound significance of 
President John F. Kennedy’s September 12, 1960, 
address to the Greater Houston Ministerial Associa-
tion as a testament to these enduring principles; 
(4) reaffirms its commitment to protecting the 
separation of church and state, and true religious 
freedom for every individual, as core American val-
ues; 
(5) encourages all Americans to reflect upon 
the historical and ongoing importance of maintain-
ing a clear distinction between governmental author-
ity and religious institutions, ensuring that the 
rights of all citizens, regardless of their beliefs, are 
protected; and 
(6) opposes extreme right-wing Christian na-
tionalism and all forms of religious extremism that 
seek to undermine the constitutional principles of re-
ligious freedom and the separation of church and 
state. 
Æ 
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