[Pages H1162-H1166]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      READING OF THE CONSTITUTION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 3, 2019, the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Hill) is recognized 
for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority leader.
  Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Chair for the 
opportunity to address the House today as we come together as Members 
of the House and read our U.S. Constitution.
  Long-time British Prime Minister William Gladstone in 1878 said: 
``The most wonderful work ever struck off at a given time by brain and 
purpose of man.'' That is how he described the U.S. Constitution.
  For 2 centuries the Constitution has dedicated the structure of our 
remarkable Republic and created the operation of the consent of the 
governed and the protection of a free people's individual rights.
  All of us who work here in the people's House marvel at its daily 
majesty, of James Madison's checks and balances, separation of powers, 
and the institutional hybrid of Federalism.
  Today, we gather at the heart of the Capitol, the heart of Article I, 
the first branch, to read our governing document:
  ``We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect 
Union, establish justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the 
common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings 
of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this 
Constitution for the United States of America.''
  Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Article I, Section 1:

[[Page H1163]]

  ``All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress 
of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of 
Representatives.''
  Section 2:
  ``The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen 
every second Year by the People of the several States, and the Electors 
in each State shall have the Qualifications requisite for Electors of 
the most numerous Branch of the State Legislature.
  ``No Person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to 
the Age of twenty five Years, and been seven Years a Citizen of the 
United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of 
that State in which he shall be chosen.
  ``Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the 
several States which may be included within this Union, according to 
their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the 
whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a 
Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all 
other Persons.
  ``The actual Enumeration shall be made within three Years after the 
first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every 
subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by Law 
direct. The number of Representatives shall not exceed one for every 
thirty Thousand, but each State shall have at Least one Representative; 
and until such enumeration shall be made, the State of New Hampshire 
shall be entitled to chuse three, Massachusetts eight, Rhode-Island and 
Providence Plantations one, Connecticut five, New-York six, New Jersey 
four, Pennsylvania eight, Delaware one, Maryland six, Virginia ten, 
North Carolina five, South Carolina five, and Georgia three.''
  Mr. EMMER. ``When vacancies happen in the Representation from any 
State, the Executive Authority thereof shall issue Writs of Election to 
fill such Vacancies.
  ``The House of Representatives shall chuse their Speaker and other 
Officers; and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment.''
  Section 3:
  ``The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators 
from each State, chosen by the Legislature thereof, for six Years; and 
each Senator shall have one vote.
  ``Immediately after they shall be assembled in Consequence of the 
first Election, they shall be divided as equally as may be into three 
Classes. The Seats of the Senators of the first Class shall be vacated 
at the expiration of the second Year, of the second Class at the 
expiration of the fourth Year, and of the third Class at the expiration 
of the sixth Year, so that one third may be chosen every second Year; 
and if Vacancies happen by Resignation, or otherwise, during the Recess 
of the Legislature of any State, the Executive thereof may make 
temporary Appointments until the next Meeting of the Legislature, which 
shall then fill such Vacancies.''
  Mr. DAVIDSON of Ohio. ``No Person shall be a Senator who shall not 
have attained to the Age of thirty Years, and been nine Years a Citizen 
of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant 
of that State for which he shall be chosen.
  ``The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the 
Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided.
  ``The Senate shall chuse their other Officers, and also a President 
pro tempore, in the Absence of the Vice President, or when he shall 
exercise the Office of President of the United States.
  ``The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments. When 
sitting for that Purpose, they shall be on Oath or Affirmation. When 
the President of the United States is tried, the Chief Justice shall 
preside: And no Person shall be convicted without the Concurrence of 
two thirds of the Members present.
  ``Judgment in Cases of Impeachment shall not extend further than to 
removal from Office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office 
of honor, Trust or Profit under the United States: but the Party 
convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to Indictment, 
Trial, Judgment and Punishment, according to Law.''
  Mr. BOST. Section 4:
  ``The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and 
Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature 
thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such 
Regulations, except as to the Places of chusing Senators.
  ``The Congress shall assemble at least once in every Year, and such 
Meeting shall be [on the first Monday in December,] unless they shall 
by Law appoint a different Day.''
  Section 5:
  ``Each House shall be the Judge of the Elections, Returns and 
Qualifications of its own Members, and a Majority of each shall 
constitute a Quorum to do Business; but a smaller Number may adjourn 
from day to day, and may be authorized to compel the Attendance of 
absent Members, in such Manner, and under such Penalties as each House 
may provide.
  ``Each House may determine the Rules of its Proceedings, punish its 
Members for disorderly Behaviour, and, with the Concurrence of two 
thirds, expel a Member.
  ``Each House shall keep a Journal of its Proceedings, and from time 
to time publish the same, excepting such Parts as may in their Judgment 
require secrecy; and the Yeas and Nays of the Members of either House 
on any question shall, at the Desire of one fifth of those Present, be 
entered on the Journal.''
  Mr. YOHO. ``Neither House, during the Session of Congress, shall, 
without the consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days, nor 
to any other Place than that in which the two Houses shall be 
sitting.''

  Section 6:
  ``The Senators and Representatives shall receive a Compensation for 
their Services, to be ascertained by Law, and paid out of the Treasury 
of the United States. They shall in all Cases, except Treason, Felony 
and Breach of the Peace, be privileged from Arrest during their 
Attendance at the Session of their respective Houses, and in going to 
and returning from the same; and for any Speech or Debate in either 
House, they shall not be questioned in any other Place.
  ``No Senator or Representative shall, during the Time for which he 
was elected, be appointed to any civil Office under the Authority of 
the United States, which shall have been created, or the Emoluments 
whereof shall have been encreased during such time; and no Person 
holding any Office under the United States, shall be a Member of either 
House during his Continuance in Office.''
  Mr. CONAWAY. Section 7:
  ``All bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of 
Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with Amendments 
as on other Bills.
  ``Every Bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and 
the Senate, shall, before it become a Law, be presented to the 
President of the United States; If he approve he shall sign it, but if 
not he shall return it, with his Objections to that House in which it 
shall have originated, who shall enter the Objections at large on their 
Journal, and proceed to reconsider it. If after such Reconsideration 
two thirds of that House shall agree to pass the Bill, it shall be 
sent, together with the Objections, to the other House, by which it 
shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by two thirds of that 
House, it shall become a Law. But in all such Cases the Votes of both 
Houses shall be determined by yeas and Nays, and the Names of the 
Persons voting for and against the Bill shall be entered on the Journal 
of each House respectively. If any Bill shall not be returned by the 
President within ten Days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been 
presented to him, the Same shall be a Law, in like Manner as if he had 
signed it, unless the Congress by their Adjournment prevent its Return, 
in which Case it shall not be a Law.
  ``Every Order, Resolution, or Vote to which the Concurrence of the 
Senate and House of Representatives may be necessary (except on a 
question of Adjournment) shall be presented to the President of the 
United States; and before the Same shall take Effect, shall be approved 
by him, or being disapproved by him, shall be repassed by two thirds of 
the Senate and House of Representatives, according to the Rules and 
Limitations prescribed in the Case of a Bill.''

[[Page H1164]]

  


                              {time}  1630

  Mr. WILLIAMS. Section 8:
  ``The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, 
Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common 
Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, 
Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;
  ``To borrow Money on the credit of the United States;
  ``To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several 
States, and with the Indian Tribes;
  ``To establish a uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on 
the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;
  ``To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and 
fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;
  ``To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and 
current Coin of the United States;
  ``To establish Post Offices and post Roads;
  ``To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for 
limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their 
respective Writings and Discoveries;
  ``To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;
  ``To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high 
Seas, and Offences against the Law of Nations;''
  Mr. WALBERG. ``To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, 
and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;
  ``To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that 
Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;
  ``To provide and maintain a Navy;
  ``To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and 
naval Forces;
  ``To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the 
Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;
  ``To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, 
and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service 
of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the 
Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia 
according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;
  ``To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over 
such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of 
particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of 
the Government of the United States, and to exercise like Authority 
over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the 
State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, 
Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings;--And''
  Mr. ALLEN. ``To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for 
carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers 
vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or 
in any Department or Officer thereof.
  Section 9:
  ``The Migration or Importation of such Persons as any of the States 
now existing shall think proper to admit, shall not be prohibited by 
the Congress prior to the Year one thousand eight hundred and eight, 
but a Tax or duty may be imposed on such Importation, not exceeding ten 
dollars for each Person.
  ``The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, 
unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may 
require it.
  ``No Bill of Attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed.
  ``No Capitation, or other direct, Tax shall be laid, unless in 
Proportion to the Census or enumeration herein before directed to be 
taken.
  ``No Tax or Duty shall be laid on Articles exported from any State.
  ``No Preference shall be given by any Regulation of Commerce or 
Revenue to the Ports of one State over those of another: nor shall 
Vessels bound to, or from, one State, be obliged to enter, clear, or 
pay Duties in another.
  ``No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of 
Appropriations made by Law; and a regular Statement and Account of the 
Receipts and Expenditures of all public Money shall be published from 
time to time.''
  Mr. CARTER of Georgia. ``No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the 
United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust 
under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any 
present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any 
King, Prince, or foreign State.''
  Section 10:
  ``No State shall enter into any Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation; 
grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal; coin Money; emit Bills of Credit; 
make any Thing but gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts; 
pass any Bill of Attainder, ex post facto Law, or Law impairing the 
Obligation of Contracts, or grant any Title of Nobility.
  ``No State shall, without the Consent of the Congress, lay any 
Imposts or Duties on Imports or Exports, except what may be absolutely 
necessary for executing it's inspection Laws: and the net Produce of 
all Duties and Imposts, laid by any State on Imports or Exports, shall 
be for the Use of the Treasury of the United States; and all such Laws 
shall be subject to the Revision and Controul of the Congress.
  ``No State shall, without the Consent of Congress, lay any Duty of 
Tonnage, keep Troops, or Ships of War in time of Peace, enter into any 
Agreement or Compact with another State, or with a foreign Power, or 
engage in War, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent Danger as 
will not admit of delay.''
  Mr. BARR. Article II, Section 1:
  ``The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United 
States of America. He shall hold his Office during the Term of four 
Years, and, together with the Vice President, chosen for the same Term, 
be elected, as follows
  ``Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof 
may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators 
and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress: 
but no Senator or Representative, or Person holding an Office or Trust 
or Profit under the United States, shall be appointed an Elector.
  ``The Electors shall meet in their respective States, and vote by 
Ballot for two Persons, of whom one at least shall not be an Inhabitant 
of the same State with themselves. And they shall make a List of all 
the Persons voted for, and of the Number of Votes for each; which List 
they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the Seat of the 
Government of the United States, directed to the President of the 
Senate. The President of the Senate shall, in the Presence of the 
Senate and House of Representatives, open all the Certificates, and the 
Votes shall then be counted. The Person having the greatest Number of 
Votes shall be the President, if such Number be a Majority of the whole 
Number of Electors appointed; and if there be more than one who have 
such Majority, and have an equal Number of Votes, then the House of 
Representatives shall immediately chuse by Ballot one of them for 
President; and if no Person have a Majority, then from the five highest 
on the List the said House shall in like Manner chuse the President.''
  Mr. PERRY. ``But in chusing the President, the Votes shall be taken 
by States, the Representation from each State having one Vote; A quorum 
for this Purpose shall consist of a Member or Members from two thirds 
of the States, and a Majority of all the States shall be necessary to a 
Choice. In every Case, after the Choice of the President, the Person 
having the greatest Number of Votes of the Electors shall be the Vice 
President. But if there should remain two or more who have equal Votes, 
the Senate shall chuse from them by Ballot the Vice President.
  ``The Congress may determine the Time of chusing the Electors, and 
the Day on which they shall give their Votes; which Day shall be the 
same throughout the United States.
  ``No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United 
States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be 
eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be 
eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of 
thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United 
States.
  ``In Case of the Removal of the President from Office, or of his 
Death, Resignation, or Inability to discharge the Powers and Duties of 
the said Office, the Same shall devolve on the Vice

[[Page H1165]]

President, and the Congress may by Law provide for the Case of Removal, 
Death, Resignation or Inability, both of the President and Vice 
President, declaring what Officer shall then act as President, and such 
Officer shall act accordingly, until the Disability be removed, or a 
President shall be elected.''
  Mr. OLSON. ``The President shall, at stated Times, receive for his 
Services, a Compensation, which shall neither be encreased nor 
diminished during the Period for which he shall have been elected, and 
he shall receive within that Period any other Emolument from the United 
States, or any of them.
  ``Before he enter on the Execution of his Office, he shall take the 
following Oath or Affirmation:--'I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I 
will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, 
and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the 
Constitution of the United States.'''
  Section 2:
  ``The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of 
the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when 
called into the actual Service of the United States; he may require the 
Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive 
Departments, upon any Subject relating to the Duties of their 
respective Offices, and he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and 
Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in Cases of 
Impeachment.''
  Mr. BABIN. ``He shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent 
of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators 
present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and 
Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public 
Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other 
Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein 
otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law: but the 
Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as 
they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in 
the Heads of Departments.
  ``The President shall have Power to fill up all Vacancies that may 
happen during the Recess of the Senate, by granting Commissions which 
shall expire at the End of their next Session.''

  Section 3:
  ``He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the 
State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures 
as he shall judge necessary and expedient; he may, on extraordinary 
Occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in Case of 
Disagreement between them, with Respect to the Time of Adjournment, he 
may adjourn them to such Time as he shall think proper; he shall 
receive Ambassadors and other public Ministers; he shall take Care that 
the Laws be faithfully executed, and shall Commission all the Officers 
of the United States.''
  Section 4:
  ``The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United 
States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction 
of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.''
  Mr. GRIFFITH. Article III, Section 1:
  ``The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one 
supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from 
time to time ordain and establish. The Judges, both of the supreme and 
inferior Courts, shall hold their Offices during good Behaviour, and 
shall, at stated Times, receive for their Services, a Compensation, 
which shall not be diminished during their Continuance in Office.''
  Section 2:
  ``The judicial Power shall extend to all Cases, in Law and Equity, 
arising under this Constitution, the Laws of the United States, and 
Treaties made, or which shall be made, under their Authority;--to all 
Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls;--to 
all Cases of admiralty and maritime Jurisdiction;--to Controversies to 
which the United States shall be a Party;--to Controversies between two 
or more States;--between a State and Citizens of another State,--
between Citizens of different States,--between Citizens of the same 
State claiming Lands under Grants of different States, and between a 
State, or the Citizens thereof, and foreign States, Citizens or 
Subjects.''

                              {time}  1645

  Mr. HICE of Georgia. ``In all cases affecting Ambassadors, other 
public Ministers and Consuls, and those in which a State shall be 
Party, the supreme Court shall have original Jurisdiction. In all the 
other Cases before mentioned, the supreme Court shall have appellate 
Jurisdiction, both as to Law and Fact, with such Exceptions, and under 
such Regulations as the Congress shall make.
  ``The Trial of all Crimes, except in Cases of Impeachment, shall be 
by Jury; and such Trial shall be held in the State where the said 
Crimes shall have been committed; but when not committed within any 
State, the Trial shall be at such Place or Places as the Congress may 
by Law have directed.''
  Section 3:
  ``Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying 
War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and 
Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the 
Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in 
open court.
  ``The Congress shall have Power to declare the Punishment of Treason, 
but no Attainder of Treason shall work Corruption of Blood, or 
Forfeiture except during the Life of the Person attainted.''
  Mr. GRIFFITH. Article IV, Section 1:
  ``Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each State to the public 
Acts, Records, and judicial Proceedings of every other State. And the 
Congress may by general Laws prescribe the Manner in which such Acts, 
Records and Proceedings shall be proved, and the Effect thereof.''
  Section 2:
  ``The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and 
Immunities of Citizens in the several States.
  ``A Person charged in any State with Treason, Felony, or other Crime, 
who shall flee from Justice, and be found in another State, shall on 
Demand of the executive Authority of the State from which he fled, be 
delivered up, to be removed to the State having Jurisdiction of the 
Crime.
  ``No Person held to Service or Labor in one State, under the laws 
thereof, escaping into another, shall, in Consequence of any Law or 
Regulation therein, be discharged from such Service or Labor, but shall 
be delivered up on Claim of the Party to whom such Service or Labor may 
be due.''
  Section 3:
  ``New States may be admitted by the Congress into this Union; but no 
new State shall be formed or erected within the Jurisdiction of any 
other State; nor any State be formed by the Junction of two or more 
States, or Parts of States, without the Consent of the Legislatures of 
the States concerned as well as of the Congress.''
  Mr. HILL of Arkansas. ``The Congress shall have power to dispose of 
and make all needful Rules and Regulations respecting the Territory or 
other Property belonging to the United States; and nothing in this 
Constitution shall be so construed as to Prejudice any Claims of the 
United States, or of any particular State.''
  Section 4:
  ``The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a 
Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against 
Invasion; and on Application of the Legislature, or of the Executive, 
when the Legislature cannot be convened, against domestic Violence.''
  Article V:
  ``The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it 
necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the 
Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, 
shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either 
Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as Part of this 
Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the 
several States, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one 
or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Congress; 
Provided that no Amendment which may be made prior to the Year One 
thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any Manner affect the first 
and fourth Clauses in the Ninth Section of the first Article; and that 
no State, without its Consent, shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage 
in the Senate.''

[[Page H1166]]

  Article VI:
  ``All Debts contracted and Engagements entered into, before the 
Adoption of this Constitution, shall be as valid against the United 
States under this Constitution, as under the Confederation.
  ``This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be 
made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be 
made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme 
Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, 
any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary 
notwithstanding.
  ``The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members 
of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial 
Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be 
bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no 
religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office 
or public Trust under the United States.''
  Article VII:
  ``The Ratification of the Conventions of nine States, shall be 
sufficient for the Establishment of this Constitution between the 
States so ratifying the Same.''
  Mr. Speaker, this historic reading of the U.S. Constitution on the 
floor of the House tonight, together with the Bill of Rights and all 
the amendments ratified as described in the original document, make the 
supreme law of the land. They are the law that we look to every day to 
guide the work of this House of Representatives. And I will remind my 
friends that 50 percent of the words in this historic document are 
governed and written in regard to Article I, the first branch, the 
Congress of the United States, the legislative branch.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleagues tonight who have joined us 
on the floor in reading the U.S. Constitution: Virginia Foxx,   Tom 
Emmer, Warren Davidson,   Mike Bost, Ted Yoho, Mike Conaway, Roger 
Williams, Tim Walberg, Jody Hice, Rick Allen, Peter Olson, Buddy 
Carter, Morgan Griffith, Andy Barr, Brian Babin, and Scott Perry. I am 
grateful for their participation in reading this historic document.

  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

                          ____________________