ASSEMBLY CONCURRENT RESOLUTION No. 73

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

216th LEGISLATURE

 

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2014 SESSION

 

 

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman  RONALD S. DANCER

District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Recognizes 2014 as 60th anniversary of adding "under God" to Pledge of Allegiance.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel

  


A Concurrent Resolution recognizing the year 2014 as the 60th anniversary of the addition of the words "under God" to the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States..

 

Whereas, On April 20, 1953, United States Representative Louis C. Rabaut first introduced legislation to amend the United States Flag Code to add the words "under God" to the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States, beginning legislative efforts to formalize the practice that many Americans had adopted of including that phrase when reciting the Pledge; and

Whereas, On February 7, 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower heard a sermon by Reverend Dr. George M. Docherty supporting the addition of the words, "under God' to the Pledge of Allegiance, noting that President Abraham Lincoln had referred to "this nation, under God" in the Gettysburg Address; and

Whereas, The following day, at the urging of President Eisenhower, Representative Charles Oakman introduced a resolution to amend the United States Flag Code by adding the words "under God" to the Pledge of Allegiance, similar to the resolution previously introduced by Representative Rabaut; and

Whereas, Two days later, Senator Homer Ferguson likewise introduced such a resolution adding "under God" to the Pledge of Allegiance; and

Whereas, The resolution adding "under God" to the Pledge of Allegiance received a unanimous vote in Congress; and

Whereas, The legislation was signed by President Eisenhower on Flag Day, June 14, 1954, marking the first day on which the Pledge of Allegiance was recited with the words "under God" officially part of the pledge; now, therefore,

 

     Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey (the Senate concurring):

 

     1.    The year 2014 is recognized as the 60th anniversary of the addition of the words "under God" to the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States.

 

     2. Duly authenticated copies of this resolution, signed by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the General Assembly and attested by the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the General Assembly, shall be transmitted to the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor as the Secretary of State, and to each member of Congress elected from New Jersey.


STATEMENT

 

     This resolution recognizes the year 2014 as the 60th anniversary of the addition of the words "under God" to the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States.