PRINTER'S NO. 2429
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
477
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY HANBIDGE, MALAGARI, KORTZ, HENNESSEY, PASHINSKI,
LONGIETTI, FRANKEL, SAPPEY, BIZZARRO, SCHLOSSBERG,
KOSIEROWSKI, ROEBUCK, SHUSTERMAN, YOUNGBLOOD, SAMUELSON,
KINSEY, READSHAW, SONNEY, BOBACK, BROWN, MILLARD, DiGIROLAMO,
POLINCHOCK, O'MARA, MENTZER, WILLIAMS, MURT, MACKENZIE,
CIRESI, HILL-EVANS AND SAINATO, SEPTEMBER 12, 2019
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, SEPTEMBER 12, 2019
A RESOLUTION
Designating the month of October 2019 as "Civic Education
Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, This Commonwealth is where the constitutional
government for the United States of America began 232 years ago;
and
WHEREAS, We, the American people, must heed President Abraham
Lincoln's charge to ensure "that government of the people, by
the people and for the people, shall not perish from the earth";
and
WHEREAS, To maintain a government by and for the people, the
United States needs a citizenry that understands the history and
foundation of our representative democracy, the role of strong
institutions in facilitating effective collective decision
making and the essential nature of active community
participation in our system of self-governance; and
WHEREAS, Only 26% of Americans can name the three branches of
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our national government; and
WHEREAS, The highest national voter turnout in an election
since 1970 was just 61.6% if the voting eligible population; and
WHEREAS, On the most recent national civic knowledge test,
only 23% of eighth grade students scored at or above the
proficient level; and
WHEREAS, Effective civic education is linked to higher voter
turnout, increased collaborative skills and lower dropout rate,
among many other benefits; and
WHEREAS, Schools have the capacity to reach nearly every
young person in the country and are therefore essential in
establishing and maintaining a robust culture of civic
engagement for future generations of Americans; and
WHEREAS, Act 35 of 2018 requires each school entity to
administer at least once to students in grades seven through
twelve an assessment of United States history, government and
civics, beginning with the 2020-2021 school year; and
WHEREAS, All Pennsylvanians could benefit from civic
education to encourage greater engagement and involvement in the
American political process; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the
month of October 2019 as "Civic Education Awareness Month" in
Pennsylvania; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives urge all
residents of this Commonwealth to celebrate efforts to educate
and inform American citizens about their rights and
responsibilities as citizens and the importance of civic
engagement.
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