Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States in order to secure the unalienable right of the people to acknowledge, worship, and serve their Creator, according to the dictates of conscience.

Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution.

H.J.Res.121 through Congress

H.J.Res.121 keeps its number as it moves between the House and Senate.

HouseNov 15, 1995IntroducedOfficial record

Major milestones in the imported record. See all actions.

No Senate action is available in our imported record yet.

Separate related Senate measures (1)

These are different measures identified as related by Congress.gov. Their text and outcomes may differ; they are not the Senate stage of H.J.Res.121.

Related Senate measure: S.J.Res.45 A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States in order to ensure that private persons and groups are not denied benefits or otherwise discriminated against by the United States or any of the several States on account of religious expression, belief, or identity.

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in House · Nov 15, 1995

Constitutional Amendment - Declares that: (1) neither the United States nor any State shall deny benefits to or otherwise discriminate against any private person or group on account of religious expression, belief, or identity; and (2) the prohibition on laws respecting an establishment of religion shall not be construed to require such discrimination.

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People & committees

Who introduced it

Rep. Hyde, Henry J. [R-IL-6] · R–IL

Committees

Judiciary Committee

18 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.

Dec 11, 1995
Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution.
Nov 15, 1995
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Nov 15, 1995
Introduced in House
Nov 15, 1995
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 · Nov 15, 1995 Formatted Text PDF

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

SJRES 45 · A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States in order to ensure that private persons and groups are not denied benefits or otherwise discriminated against by the United States or any of the several States on account of religious expression, belief, or identity.

Source last updated: Jan 2, 2025. 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.J.Res.121 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.J.Res.121, 104th Congress: Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States in order to secure the unalienable right of the people to acknowledge, worship, and serve their Creator, according to the dictates of conscience.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/house-joint-resolution/121

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 1995-11-15.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/104/bills/hjres121/BILLS-104hjres121ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-01-02T17:33:46Z. 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.J.Res.121 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.J.Res.121 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.J.Res.121, 104th Congress: Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States in order to secure the unalienable right of the people to acknowledge, worship, and serve their Creator, according to the dictates of conscience.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/house-joint-resolution/121

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 1995-11-15.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/104/bills/hjres121/BILLS-104hjres121ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-01-02T17:33:46Z. 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.J.Res.121 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.J.Res.121 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.J.Res.121, 104th Congress: Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States in order to secure the unalienable right of the people to acknowledge, worship, and serve their Creator, according to the dictates of conscience.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/house-joint-resolution/121

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 1995-11-15.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/104/bills/hjres121/BILLS-104hjres121ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-01-02T17:33:46Z. 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.J.Res.121 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.J.Res.121 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.J.Res.121, 104th Congress: Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States in order to secure the unalienable right of the people to acknowledge, worship, and serve their Creator, according to the dictates of conscience.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/house-joint-resolution/121

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 1995-11-15.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/104/bills/hjres121/BILLS-104hjres121ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-01-02T17:33:46Z. 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.J.Res.121 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.