,,ii  #aai? ,,congress  #b;d ,session   
,s4 #ebgi  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,augu/ #f1 #bjbf,mr4   
,wick] 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,ka9e1 & ,mr4   
,mc,cormick7 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2   
:i* 0 read twice & ref]r$ to !          
,committee on ! ,judici>y  ,a ,,bill    
,to am5d title #cf1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1
 to designate ,novemb] z ,national      
,am]ican ,hi/ory & ,f\nd]s ,mon?4  #a4  
,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z !   
,national ,am]ican ,hi/ory & ,f\nd]s    
,mon? ,act4  #b4 ,f9d+s ,congress f9ds !
 foll[+3 7#a7 ,z ! ,unit$ ,/ates        
celebrates ! #bej? anniv]s>y ( ! sign+ (
 ! ,decl>ation ( ,indep5d5ce 9 #bjbf1 ! 
,unit$ ,/ates is a ,nation *>act]iz$ by 
cultural & geographic div]sity &        
uniquely b\nd by a common h]itage &     
hi/ory t began on ,july #d1 #aggf1 ) !  
pr(\nd words ( ! ,decl>ation (          
,indep5d5ce4  7#b7 ,! pres]vation &     
und]/&+ ( ! hi/ory ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates & !
 pr9ciples ( ! ,f\nd+ ,fa!rs are        
intr9sic values t unite ! p ( ! ,unit$  

,/ates & provide a f\ndation = und]/&+ !
 orig9s & ideals ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates by   
provid+ a common bond4  7#c7 ,presid5ts 
,george ,wa%+ton & ,?omas ,jeff]son     
/ress$ ! crucial role ( an in=m$        
citiz5ry 9 a free society4 ,!y believ$ t
 an educat$ & kn[l$geable citiz5ry 0    
ess5tial = ! survival ( a democratic    
republic & = ! pres]vation ( lib]ty4    
7#d7 ,civics education 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates
 has exp]i5c$ a significant decl9e1 )   
only #ac p]c5t ( eigh? grad]s pr(ici5t 9
 ,unit$ ,/ates hi/ory & #bb p]c5t (     
eigh? grad]s pr(ici5t 9 civics1 accord+ 
to ! #bjbb ,national ,assessm5t (       
,educational ,progress4  7#e7 ,a decl9e 
9 civics education impairs ! ability (  
"y p ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates to engage        
mean+fully ) public (ficials &          
appreciate ! philosophical f\ndations ( 
! ,am]ican ,revolution>y p]iod1 !       
,decl>ation ( ,indep5d5ce1 !            
,con/itution ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 & !     
,bill ( ,rights4  7#f7 ,civics education
 = /ud5ts c raise aw>5ess ( !           

significant ev5ts1 influ5tial figures1 &
 philosophical bases t %ap$ ! ,unit$    
,/ates1 inspir+ a r5ew$ appreciation =  
its ri* hi/ory4  7#g7 ,educational &    
s]vice organizations 9 law1 political   
sci5ce1 & relat$ fields %\ld be enc\rag$
 to support ! /udy ( ! hi/ory ( ! ,unit$
 ,/ates to cultivate in=m$ & engag$     
citiz5s to und]/& ! docum5ts t def9e !  
,unit$ ,/ates1 includ+ ! ,decl>ation (  
,indep5d5ce1 ! ,con/itution ( ! ,unit$  
,/ates1 & ! ,bill ( ,rights4  7#h7      
,designat+ ,novemb] z ,national ,am]ican
 ,hi/ory & ,f\nd]s ,mon? w\ld also aid 9
 ! discov]y1 collection1 & pres]vation (
 hi/orical records1 docum5ts1 monum5ts1 
& /ructures t illum9ate ! hi/ory ( !    
fir/ f\nd]s & _! desc5dants4  7#i7      
,novemb] is ! mon? dur+ :i* ! ,unit$    
,/ates celebrates ,?anksgiv+4 ,presid5t 
,george ,wa%+ton issu$ ! fir/ national  
,?anksgiv+ proclamation designat+       
,?ursday1 ,novemb] #bf1 #aghi1 z a day (
 public pray] & gratitude = ! ,unit$    
,/ates4 ,abraham ,l9coln issu$ a        

proclamation (ficially e/abli%+         
,?anksgiv+ ,day z a national holiday to 
designate ! la/ ,?ursday ( ,novemb] z a 
day = ?anksgiv+ & unity4 ,designat+ !   
entire mon? ( ,novemb] z ,national      
,am]ican ,hi/ory & ,f\nd]s ,mon? w\ld   
ext5d ?is tradition ( unity & gratitude 
= ! ,unit$ ,/ates by deep5+ ! und]/&+ & 
appreciation = ! ,unit$ ,/ates by ! p ( 
! ,unit$ ,/ates4  7#aj7 ,a p]man5t      
designation ( ,novemb] z ,national      
,am]ican ,hi/ory & ,f\nd]s ,mon? w\ld   
enc\rage s*ools1 communities1 &         
organizations to ho/ ev5ts1 educational 
programs1 & initiatives t celebrate &   
tea* ! hi/ory ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates & !     
contributions ( ! ,f\nd+ ,fa!rs4  7#aa7 
,! unique circum/ances & ev5ts t creat$ 
! ,unit$ ,/ates mu/ be well kn[n by !   
citiz5ry ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates s z to       
p]petuate into ! future ! values &      
rights ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates ( individual   
fre$om1 lib]ty1 & ! pursuit ( happ9ess4 
7#ab7 ,su* a designation w inspire "y p 
( ! ,unit$ ,/ates to le>n ab\t & take   

pride 9 ! hi/ory ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates1     
fo/]+ a s5se ( unity & %>$ purpose4  #c4
 ,designation  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,*apt] #a ( 
"p ,a ( subtitle ,i ( title #cf1 ,unit$ 
,/ates ,code1 is am5d$ by add+ at ! end 
! foll[+3  #adi4 ,national ,am]ican     
,hi/ory & ,f\nd]s ,mon?  7a7            
,designation ,novemb] is ,national      
,am]ican ,hi/ory & ,f\nd]s ,mon?4  7b7  
,proclamations ,! ,presid5t is reque/$  
to issue ea* ye> a proclamation call+ on
 ! p ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 & ! *ief        
executive (fic]s ( ea* ,/ate ( ! ,unit$ 
,/ates1 ! ,di/rict ( ,columbia1 & ea*   
t]ritory & possession ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates 
are reque/$ to issue ea* ye>            
proclamations call+ on ! p ( _!         
respective jurisdictions1 to obs]ve     
,national ,am]ican ,hi/ory & ,f\nd]s    
,mon? ) appropriate programs1 c]emonies1
 & activities t enhance civics education
 & hi/orical lit]acy4  4  7b7 ,cl]ical  
am5dm5t ,! table ( sections = *apt] #a (
 "p ,a ( subtitle ,i ( title #cf1 ,unit$
 ,/ates ,code1 is am5d$ by add+ at ! end

 ! foll[+3  #adi4 ,national ,am]ican    
,hi/ory & ,f\nd]s ,mon?4  4