119-hres773

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 773 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
H. RES. 773

Honoring the foundational principle of separation of church and state, 
opposing 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 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.

Whereas the United States was founded upon the principles of religious freedom 
 and the protection of individual conscience;
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 important 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 emphasizing the 
 distinct spheres of government and religious belief;
Whereas James Madison, often referred to as the ``Father of the Constitution'', 
 was a strong advocate for religious liberty 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 September 29, 1875, 
 speech to the Society of the Army of the Tennessee where he emphasized 
 the Founders' intentions, articulating that religious matters should 
 ``forever be left to the family, church, and private schools, and not 
 involve government funding or influence'' and underscored 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 interpreted 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 
 instruction 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 affirmed and elaborated upon 
 these principles; and the Supreme 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 society, as well as those who 
 identify as nonreligious or agnostic;
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 
 religious diversity, democratic governance, and the constitutional 
 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 religious integrity and freedom from government 
 interference;
Whereas, on September 12, 1960, then-Senator John F. Kennedy, a Catholic 
 presidential candidate, delivered a landmark speech to the Greater 
 Houston Ministerial Association 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 nation 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 religious freedom and particularly to oppose the rise of extreme 
 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 opposes extreme right-wing 
 Christian nationalism,

    (2) recognizes the 65th anniversary of President John F. 
 Kennedy's address to the Greater Houston Ministerial 
 Association and the 150th anniversary 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 Association 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 values;

    (5) encourages all Americans to reflect upon the historical 
 and ongoing importance of maintaining a clear distinction 
 between governmental authority and religious institutions, 
 ensuring that the rights of all citizens, regardless of their 
 beliefs, are protected; and

    (6) opposes extreme right-wing Christian nationalism and 
 all forms of religious extremism that seek to undermine the 
 constitutional principles of religious freedom and the 
 separation of church and state.
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