III
109th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. RES. 244
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
September 15, 2005
Mr. Salazar (for himself, Mr. Corzine, Mr. Nelson of Florida, Mr. Pryor, and Mr. Conrad) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to
RESOLUTION
Expressing support for the Pledge of Allegiance.
Whereas Congress in 1954 added the words under
God
to the Pledge of Allegiance;
Whereas the Pledge of Allegiance has for more than 50
years included references to the U.S. flag, the country, to our country having
been established as a union under God
and to this country being
dedicated to securing liberty and justice for all
;
Whereas the Congress in 1954 believed it was acting constitutionally when it revised the Pledge of Allegiance;
Whereas this Senate of the 109th Congress believes that the Pledge of Allegiance is not an unconstitutional expression of patriotism;
Whereas patriotic songs, engravings on U.S. legal tender,
engravings on Federal buildings also contain general references to
God
; and
Whereas the Congress expects that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit will review on appeal the decision of the District Court: Now, therefore, be it
That the Senate strongly disapproves of the U.S. District Court ruling in Newdow v. The Congress of the United States of America, et al., holding the Pledge of Allegiance unconstitutional.
That the Senate authorizes and instructs the Senate Legal Counsel to continue to cooperate fully with the Attorney General in this case in order to vigorously defend the constitutionality of the Pledge of Allegiance.