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.

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

S.J.Res.45 through Congress

S.J.Res.45 keeps its number as it moves between the House and Senate.

SenateDec 22, 1995IntroducedOfficial record

Major milestones in the imported record. See all actions.

No House action is available in our imported record yet.

Separate related House measures (1)

These are different measures identified as related by Congress.gov. Their text and outcomes may differ; they are not the House stage of S.J.Res.45.

Related House measure: H.J.Res.121 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.

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Dec 22, 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

Sen. Hatch, Orrin G. [R-UT] · R–UT

Committees

Judiciary Committee

0 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 22, 1995
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
Dec 22, 1995
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S19259-19260)
Dec 22, 1995
Introduced in Senate

Primary sources

Bill text & related measures

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

Introduced in Senate · Dec 21, 1995 Formatted Text PDF

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

HJRES 121 · 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.

Source last updated: Aug 10, 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 S.J.Res.45 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 S.J.Res.45, 104th Congress: 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.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-joint-resolution/45

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 1995-12-21.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/104/bills/sjres45/BILLS-104sjres45is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-08-10T11:54:10Z. 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 S.J.Res.45 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 S.J.Res.45 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 S.J.Res.45, 104th Congress: 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.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-joint-resolution/45

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 1995-12-21.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/104/bills/sjres45/BILLS-104sjres45is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-08-10T11:54:10Z. 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 S.J.Res.45 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 S.J.Res.45 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 S.J.Res.45, 104th Congress: 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.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-joint-resolution/45

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 1995-12-21.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/104/bills/sjres45/BILLS-104sjres45is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-08-10T11:54:10Z. 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 S.J.Res.45 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 S.J.Res.45 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 S.J.Res.45, 104th Congress: 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.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-joint-resolution/45

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 1995-12-21.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/104/bills/sjres45/BILLS-104sjres45is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-08-10T11:54:10Z. 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 S.J.Res.45 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.