Overview
Title
Providing that George Washington’s Farewell Address shall be read at the beginning of each Congress.
ELI5 AI
George Washington's "Farewell Address" would be read aloud at the start of every new Congress by a Speaker-chosen Representative and a Majority Leader-chosen Senator, so everyone is reminded of his valuable advice.
Summary AI
H. CON. RES. 13 proposes that George Washington's "Farewell Address" be read at the start of each regular session of Congress. It specifies that a Senator, chosen by the Senate's majority leader, will read it in the Senate, while a Representative, chosen by the Speaker of the House, will read it in the House of Representatives. This resolution exercises Congress's power to set its own rules and acknowledges both the House and Senate's right to change these rules whenever necessary.
Published
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AnalysisAI
General Summary of the Bill
H. CON. RES. 13 is a concurrent resolution presented to the United States Congress that proposes a tradition to reinforce the principles laid out by George Washington in his "Farewell Address." Specifically, the resolution mandates that the "Farewell Address" be read aloud on the first day of each new Congress. This reading would occur in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, with the majority leader of the Senate and the Speaker of the House each designating the individuals responsible for carrying out the reading.
Summary of Significant Issues
While the intent of the resolution is straightforward, there are complexities within its text that merit discussion:
Complex Language: The resolution uses legalistic language that might be challenging for individuals without a legislative or legal background to understand. This complexity could impact public understanding and transparency, as citizens could struggle to grasp the full implications of the resolution.
Repetitiveness and Ambiguity: Section 2 includes phrases that are repetitive, such as "so far as relating to such rules," which may lead to confusion. Furthermore, the resolution does not specify precisely which rules it pertains to, leaving room for interpretation about how it might be applied or changed.
Procedural Nature: The resolution is procedural, focusing on the rules governing Congressional operations rather than policy or budgetary decisions. This makes it difficult to spot issues related to wasteful spending or favoritism, which are often the focal points of legislative scrutiny.
Potential Impact on the Public
This resolution, if adopted, would primarily impact the procedural norms in Congress rather than daily public life. However, reading Washington's "Farewell Address" might serve as a reminder of foundational American values, potentially fostering a sense of continuity and reflection among lawmakers and the public. By revisiting Washington's advice regularly, Congress might be prompted to consider his warnings and recommendations within contemporary debates.
Impact on Specific Stakeholders
Members of Congress: For members and staff within Congress, this resolution would introduce an official ceremony at the outset of each session. This could enhance their understanding of historical contexts and promote a sense of heritage and responsibility.
Educators and Historians: The reinforcement of historical texts in legislative activities could be seen positively by historians and educators, who might view it as an opportunity to engage students and the public in broader discussions about historical influence on modern governance.
General Public: While the public at large would not be directly impacted by this procedural resolution, there remains the potential for increased public awareness of historical lessons and their relevance today, depending on how widely the readings and discussions surrounding them are publicized.
In summary, while H. CON. RES. 13 is mainly procedural, it underscores the ongoing relevance of historical documents in informing contemporary governance. By engaging with foundational texts, lawmakers might be reminded of core American values as they grapple with modern challenges.
Issues
The language in Section 2 is complex and legalistic, which might make it difficult for non-experts to understand the implications of the resolution. This could be significant to the public as it affects transparency and accessibility of legislative processes.
Section 2 mentions "so far as relating to such rules" twice in a repetitive fashion, which can lead to unnecessary complexity and potential confusion about legislative intent. Simplification would promote better understanding and clarity.
Section 2 does not specify what the rules pertain to, leading to potential ambiguity about the scope and application of these rules. This lack of specificity could have implications for how the resolution is implemented and understood in the legislative context.
The issue noted in Section 2 highlights that the text is largely procedural without direct implications on spending or favoritism, making it difficult to identify wasteful spending or favoritism. This could be misleading to those who are not familiar with the procedural nature of such resolutions.
Sections
Sections are presented as they are annotated in the original legislative text. Any missing headers, numbers, or non-consecutive order is due to the original text.
1. Rule Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section requires that on the first day of every new Congressional session, George Washington’s “Farewell Address” must be read aloud. A Senator chosen by the Senate's majority leader will do the reading in the Senate, while a Representative selected by the Speaker will read in the House of Representatives.
2. Exercise of rulemaking power Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section explains that Congress is using its authority to make rules for how the House of Representatives and the Senate operate. These rules will become part of each House's existing set of rules and can replace previous rules if there's a conflict. Additionally, each House reserves the right to change these rules whenever they wish, just like any other rule.