A bill to designate the period beginning on September 11 through September 17 of each year as Patriot Week in this state.

the people of the state of michigan enact:

Sec. 1. (1) The legislature recognizes that understanding American history and America's First Principles are indispensable to the survival of our republic as a free people. In great reverence to the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks, the legislature acknowledges that American citizens must take time to honor the First Principles, founders, documents, and symbols of their history. The events that led to the signing of the Constitution of the United States of America by the delegates of the Constitutional Convention on September 17, 1787, have significance for every American and are honored in public schools across the nation on September 17 of each year as Constitution Day. Revolution, the rule of law, the social compact, equality, unalienable rights, and limited government are the First Principles upon which America was founded and flourishes. Exceptional, visionary, and indispensable Americans such as Thomas Paine, Patrick Henry, John Adams, John Marshall, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass, Martin Luther King, Jr., Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison founded and advanced the United States. The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Congressional resolution forwarding the Constitution to the states, Marbury v Madison, Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions, the Gettysburg Address, the Emancipation Proclamation, and the I Have A Dream speech are key documents that embody America's First Principles and have advanced American liberty. The Bennington flag, the original Betsy Ross American flag, the current American flag, the Suffragist flag, the Fort Sumter flag, the Gadsden flag, and the flag of the state of Michigan are key physical symbols of American history and freedom that should be studied and remembered by each American. Recognizing that each generation needs to renew the spirit of America based on America's First Principles, key historical figures, founding documents, and symbols, the legislature declares that the period beginning on September 11 through September 17 of each year shall be known as "Patriot Week" that symbolically begins on September 11 and concludes on September 17, Constitution Day.

(2) The legislature encourages citizens, schools and other educational institutions, government agencies, municipalities, and nonprofit, religious, labor, community, and business organizations to recognize and participate in Patriot Week by honoring and celebrating the First Principles, key historical figures, founding documents, and symbols of America to renew the spirit of America.