S.Res. 540: A resolution encouraging all 50 States to recognize and accommodate the release of public school pupils from school attendance to attend off-campus religious classes at their churches, synagogues, houses of worship, and faith-based organizations.

S.Res. 540: A resolution encouraging all 50 States to recognize and accommodate the release of public school pupils from school attendance to attend off-campus religious classes at their churches, synagogues, houses of worship, and faith-based organizations.

109th Congress · introduced 2006-07-24 · Education · Latest: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S8132-8133)

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Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2006-07-24 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. DeMint, Jim [R-SC] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S8132-8133) Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

A resolution encouraging all 50 States to recognize and accommodate the release of public school pupils from school attendance to attend off-campus religious classes at their churches, synagogues, houses of worship, and faith-based organizations.

Plain summary

Calls on the states to recognize and accommodate those churches, faith-based organizations, and individuals that wish to release public school pupils from school attendance to attend religious classes. Requests the President to proclaim the third week of November 2006 as Bible Education in School Time Week.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

A Yea supports adopting this resolution.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

A resolution encouraging all 50 States to recognize and accommodate the release of public school pupils from school attendance to attend off-campus religious classes at their churches, synagogues, houses of worship, and faith-based organizations.

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. DeMint, Jim [R-SC] · 2 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Resolution: A formal statement or decision by a legislative body. Simple resolutions often only express an opinion or set rules for one chamber; they do not become law.
Roll-call vote: A vote where each member's position is recorded by name, so the public can see how every member voted. "Yea" means yes, "Nay" means no, "Present" means the member was there but did not take a side.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-109sres540.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/109/sres>

Record fed-us-cong109-sres540 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong109 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong109