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| 3 | 4 | | |
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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, The observance of Constitution Day on September 17, |
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| 6 | 7 | | 2017, commemorates the signing of our nation's foundational |
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| 7 | 8 | | document; and |
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| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, On September 17, 1787, the course of history was |
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| 9 | 10 | | forever altered by the 39 delegates who added their names to the |
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| 10 | 11 | | constitution, the world's oldest written national charter of |
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| 11 | 12 | | government; it provided the framework for our republic, and its |
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| 12 | 13 | | opening words, "We the People," affirmed that citizens hold the |
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| 13 | 14 | | responsibility for determining the course of their country; and |
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| 14 | 15 | | WHEREAS, The framers of the constitution, in their great |
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| 15 | 16 | | wisdom, separated and balanced governmental powers to safeguard the |
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| 16 | 17 | | principles of majority rule and minority rights, the ideals of |
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| 17 | 18 | | liberty and equality, and the interests of the federal and state |
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| 18 | 19 | | governments; and |
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| 19 | 20 | | WHEREAS, Creating a republic representative form of |
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| 20 | 21 | | government, the first three articles of the constitution |
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| 21 | 22 | | established the separate legislative, executive, and judicial |
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| 22 | 23 | | branches, each limited in power by a system of checks and balances; |
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| 23 | 24 | | the 10 amendments known as the Bill of Rights were added two years |
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| 24 | 25 | | after the signing of the constitution in order to guarantee |
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| 25 | 26 | | specific civil liberties; and |
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| 26 | 27 | | WHEREAS, The U.S. Congress passed a bill in 2004 designating |
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| 27 | 28 | | September 17 as Constitution Day and requiring that schools teach |
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| 28 | 29 | | students about the vital role of the constitution in our society; |
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| 29 | 30 | | the legislation prompts citizens to reflect upon the ideals of |
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| 30 | 31 | | freedom set forth in the constitution and ensures that future |
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| 31 | 32 | | generations will understand the importance of this historic |
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| 32 | 33 | | document; and |
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| 33 | 34 | | WHEREAS, Since the 18th century, the United States |
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| 34 | 35 | | Constitution has served as the bulwark of our liberty and as a model |
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| 35 | 36 | | for the charter documents of emerging democracies around the world; |
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| 36 | 37 | | now, therefore, be it |
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| 37 | 38 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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| 38 | 39 | | Legislature hereby recognize September 17, 2017, as Constitution |
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| 39 | 40 | | Day and encourage all Texans to learn more about the many ways in |
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| 40 | 41 | | which the U.S. Constitution continues to shape our lives. |
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