An Act to regulate the Time and Manner of administering certain Oaths (1 Stat. 23) was the first law passed by the United States Congress after the ratification of the U.S. Constitution. It was signed by President George Washington on June 1, 1789, and parts of it still remain on the books.
The House of Representatives reached its first quorum on April 1, 1789. Five days later, it appointed a committee to draft a bill on the manner of administrat...
more
An Act to regulate the Time and Manner of administering certain Oaths (1 Stat. 23) was the first law passed by the United States Congress after the ratification of the U.S. Constitution. It was signed by President George Washington on June 1, 1789, and parts of it still remain on the books.
The House of Representatives reached its first quorum on April 1, 1789. Five days later, it appointed a committee to draft a bill on the manner of administration of the oath for members of Congress required under Article VI of the Constitution. The House also voted that day to instruct the committee to include the following wording for the oath:
"I, A B a Representative of the United States in the Congress thereof, do solemnly swear or affirm (as the case may be) that I will support the Constitution of the United States."
On April 25, the committee reported its bill to the whole House, which approved it two days later. The Senate committee charged with the bill added a section requiring state...
less
