Congress proposes annual 'Day of the Bible' observance, framing religious heritage as national ident
H.J.Res. 118 — Expressing support for designating September 12, 2025, as "The Day of the Bible" in the United States of America. · Filed by Michael Cloud (R-TX) · 23 cosponsors · Introduced Sep 2, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This joint resolution expresses congressional support for designating September 12 each year as 'The Day of the Bible' in the United States, commemorating the 1782 congressional approval of the first complete English-language Bible printed in America (the Aitken Bible). The resolution encourages schools, civic institutions, and community organizations to observe the day with educational and cultural programs, and directs the President to issue an annual proclamation.
Why we flagged it
This is a non-binding joint resolution expressing support for an annual observance day. It has no legislative teeth, no appropriations, and no regulatory effect—it is purely symbolic and hortatory, encouraging voluntary participation by schools and civic groups.
What the text implies
- The resolution's reference to the Aitken Bible as a symbol of 'liberty and spiritual legacy' frames religious heritage as foundational to American identity, which may be read as endorsing a particular narrative about the role of Christianity in the nation's founding—a claim historians debate.
- Annual presidential proclamations could become a recurring political platform for messaging about religious values and national identity, potentially creating expectations for partisan framing of the observance.
- Schools and civic institutions may face pressure to participate in religious observance under the guise of 'historical and cultural' programming, creating potential tension with secular or pluralist educational missions.
Who it affects
This is a non-binding commemorative resolution with no fiscal cost, regulatory burden, or material impact on citizens' rights or welfare. It creates an optional observance day that may encourage educational reflection on historical and cultural heritage without mandating participation or restricting any group's freedoms.
Named in the bill
House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Aitken Bible, James Duane, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Congress of the United States, President of the United States
Where it stands
23 cosponsors: 23 Republicans.
- Sep 2, 2025 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in House”
- Sep 2, 2025 — Referred to House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform · Congress.gov: “Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform”
Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.
How this was measured
Analysis — Quorum's AI read the full bill text on Jul 6, 2026; transparency and hidden-provision scores are compared against the median of 16,222 analysed bills.
Status and sponsors — Congress.gov's bill record — actions, committee referrals and cosponsors — loaded nightly. The timeline shows status changes, not every procedural action.
As of — page rendered 2026-10-20.
“Congress proposes annual 'Day of the Bible' observance, framing religious heritage as national ident” QuorumCivic. https://share.quorumcivic.app/bill/119/hjres118 Report an error
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