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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2023 - 2024
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | December 30, 2022 11:21 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Cris Dush |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Displaying the Preamble of the Constitution of Pennsylvania in Schools |
| Soon, I will be reintroducing SB934 from last session, which was cosponsored by Senators Martin, J. Ward, Gebhard, Hutchinson, Regan, and Pittman. Constitutional republics are unique in world history. While other forms of government have relied on the use of force for a dictator, monarch or totalitarian organization to make subjects of the people, constitutional republics rely on a written declaration of The People as to what form of government they will accept. In Federalist No. 53, James Madison explained, “The important distinction so well understood in America, between a Constitution established by the people, and unalterable by the government, and a law established by the Government and alterable by the government, seems to have been little understood and less observed in any other country. Wherever the supreme power of legislation has resided, has been supposed to reside also a full power to change the form of the government.” Unfortunately, we are no longer at a point where the distinction is understood by the people. This legislation will require the posting of the preamble to the Pennsylvania Constitution (“We, the people of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of civil and religious liberty, and humbly invoking His guidance, do ordain and establish this Constitution.”) in the entrance of every school building where state funding is provided to the district or institution of higher education. This declaration is foundational to the form of government “the people” chose to write, administer and interpret the law while reserving to themselves the "supreme power" to "change the form of government" through our Constitutions. May this be a daily reminder to students preparing to take their place in this republic, of the power and responsibility they will assume. I hope you will join me in co-sponsoring this important piece of legislation. |
Introduced as SB353