Expressing the sense of the Congress that American colleges and universities should adopt an Academic Bill of Rights to secure the intellectual independence of faculty members and students and to protect the principle of intellectual diversity.

Referred to the Subcommittee on 21st Century Competitiveness.

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in House · Oct 30, 2003

Encourages all public and private colleges and universities in the United States to adopt an Academic Bill of Rights and observe specified principles and procedures to secure the intellectual independence of faculty members and students and protect the principle of intellectual diversity.

Recognizes that such principles and procedures fully apply only to public universities and to private universities that present themselves as bound by the canons of academic freedom.

Expresses the sense of the Congress that private institutions choosing to restrict academic freedom on the basis of creed have an obligation to be as explicit as possible about the scope and nature of these restrictions.

Read the summary on Congress.gov

PlainBill analysis is coming later. This page presents official source data. We have not yet published a PlainBill explanation for this bill.

People & committees

Who introduced it

Rep. Kingston, Jack [R-GA-1] · R–GA

Committees

Education and Workforce Committee

36 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Legislative record

Actions

A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

Nov 17, 2003
Referred to the Subcommittee on 21st Century Competitiveness.
Oct 30, 2003
Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
Oct 30, 2003
Introduced in House
Oct 30, 2003
Introduced in House

Primary sources

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Introduced in House · Oct 30, 2003 Formatted Text PDF

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.

Source last updated: Mar 23, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

AI Conversation Starters

Explore the bill from different angles

Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.

Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze H.Con.Res.318 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.Con.Res.318, 108th Congress: Expressing the sense of the Congress that American colleges and universities should adopt an Academic Bill of Rights to secure the intellectual independence of faculty members and students and to protect the principle of intellectual diversity.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/108th-congress/house-concurrent-resolution/318

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2003-10-30.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/108/bills/hconres318/BILLS-108hconres318ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-03-23T12:44:53Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Analyze H.Con.Res.318 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine H.Con.Res.318 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.Con.Res.318, 108th Congress: Expressing the sense of the Congress that American colleges and universities should adopt an Academic Bill of Rights to secure the intellectual independence of faculty members and students and to protect the principle of intellectual diversity.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/108th-congress/house-concurrent-resolution/318

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2003-10-30.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/108/bills/hconres318/BILLS-108hconres318ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-03-23T12:44:53Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.Con.Res.318 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine H.Con.Res.318 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.Con.Res.318, 108th Congress: Expressing the sense of the Congress that American colleges and universities should adopt an Academic Bill of Rights to secure the intellectual independence of faculty members and students and to protect the principle of intellectual diversity.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/108th-congress/house-concurrent-resolution/318

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2003-10-30.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/108/bills/hconres318/BILLS-108hconres318ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-03-23T12:44:53Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.Con.Res.318 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine H.Con.Res.318 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.Con.Res.318, 108th Congress: Expressing the sense of the Congress that American colleges and universities should adopt an Academic Bill of Rights to secure the intellectual independence of faculty members and students and to protect the principle of intellectual diversity.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/108th-congress/house-concurrent-resolution/318

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2003-10-30.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/108/bills/hconres318/BILLS-108hconres318ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-03-23T12:44:53Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.Con.Res.318 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.