Providing that George Washington's "Farewell Address" shall be read at the beginning of each Congress.
- Bill Number
- H.Con.Res. 13
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Congress
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-02-14: Referred to the House Committee on Rules.
- Last Updated
- 2025-02-18T17:35:28Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
This concurrent resolution aims to establish a tradition of reading George Washington's "Farewell Address" aloud at the start of each new Congress, promoting reflection on foundational American principles as outlined in the address.
Key Provisions
- Reading Requirement: On the first day of the first regular session of each Congress, the Farewell Address must be read aloud.
- In the Senate, a Senator designated by the majority leader performs the reading.
- In the House of Representatives, a Representative designated by the Speaker performs the reading.
- Rulemaking Authority: The resolution is adopted as an exercise of each chamber's rulemaking power (the authority of Congress to set its own internal procedures).
- It becomes part of the rules of the House and Senate, superseding conflicting rules where necessary.
- Either chamber retains the full constitutional right to change or repeal this rule at any time, following standard procedures for altering other rules.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- This introduces a new procedural rule for Congress, as there is no prior statutory or constitutional mandate requiring the public reading of Washington's Farewell Address at the start of sessions.
- It formalizes a ceremonial practice that may have occurred informally in the past but now makes it a binding rule for future Congresses, unless altered.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: Minimal direct impact; primarily affects congressional operations by adding a brief ceremonial step to the opening session, potentially requiring minor logistical coordination (e.g., preparation of the text).
- On Citizens: Symbolic and educational; could increase public awareness of Washington's warnings on issues like partisanship and foreign alliances through media coverage or official records, fostering civic education without enforceable effects on daily life.
- On International Relations: Negligible; the address includes historical advice on avoiding permanent foreign alliances, but the reading is internal to Congress and unlikely to influence foreign policy.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Members of Congress: Directly involved, as leadership (Speaker of the House and Senate majority leader) selects readers, and all members participate in the session where it occurs.
- Congressional Staff: May handle preparations, such as obtaining and distributing copies of the address.
- The Public and Historians: Indirectly benefit from the emphasis on historical documents, potentially through archived proceedings or educational outreach.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal/Constitutional: Reinforces Congress's constitutional authority under Article I, Section 5 to determine its own rules of procedure. As a concurrent resolution, it does not require presidential approval and binds only the legislative branch, avoiding separation-of-powers issues.
- Political: Symbolic gesture that could promote bipartisanship or unity by invoking a non-partisan founding figure, though it might spark debate over the use of congressional time for ceremonial acts versus legislative priorities. No enforcement mechanism beyond internal rules, so compliance depends on chamber traditions.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Recent Actions
- 2025-02-14: Referred to the House Committee on Rules.
- 2025-02-14: Submitted in House
Bill Versions
- Providing that George Washington’s "Farewell Address" shall be read at the beginning of each Congress. — issued 2025-02-14 — PDF (2 pages)