Commemorating the 53rd anniversary of Senator Margaret Chase Smith's "Declaration of Conscience" speech in which she defended the American rights to free speech and dissent.

Commemorates the 53rd anniversary of Senator Margaret Chase Smith's "Declaration of Conscience" speech in which she defended the fundamental American rights to criticize, hold unpopular beliefs, and protest and the right of independent thought (in response to the defamatory accusations that characterized the anti-communist crusades of Senator Joseph McCarthy and others).

[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 246 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 246

 Commemorating the 53rd anniversary of Senator Margaret Chase Smith's 
``Declaration of Conscience'' speech in which she defended the American 
                   rights to free speech and dissent.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 21, 2003

Mr. Allen submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Commemorating the 53rd anniversary of Senator Margaret Chase Smith's 
``Declaration of Conscience'' speech in which she defended the American 
                   rights to free speech and dissent.

Whereas, on June 1, 1950, United States Senator Margaret Chase Smith, a 
        Republican from Maine, issued her ``Declaration of Conscience'' in a 
        speech to the Senate, in response to the defamatory accusations that 
        characterized the anti-communist crusades of Senator Joseph McCarthy and 
        others;
Whereas, in the speech, Senator Smith defended the basic American principles of 
        ``the right to criticize; the right to hold unpopular beliefs; the right 
        to protest; the right of independent thought'', and affirmed that ``the 
        exercise of these rights should not cost one single American citizen his 
        reputation or his right to a livelihood'';
Whereas history has judged well Senator Smith's appeal for protection of the 
        fundamental American rights of free speech and dissent, in contrast to 
        the efforts by Senator McCarthy and others to employ questions of 
        people's patriotism as a political weapon; and
Whereas, on June 6, 1989, President George H.W. Bush awarded Senator Smith the 
        Presidential Medal of Freedom and stated that ``Senator Smith's finest 
        hour came when she issued the `Declaration of Conscience', an historic 
        and courageous speech denouncing McCarthyism, and she spoke out when so 
        many others remained silent'': Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) commemorates the 53rd anniversary of Senator Margaret 
        Chase Smith's ``Declaration of Conscience'' speech in which she 
        defended the fundamental American rights to criticize, to hold 
        unpopular beliefs, to protest; and of independent thought; and
            (2) affirms that the principles enunciated in the 
        ``Declaration of Conscience'' remain valid today.
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