Whereas it is the sense of the House of Representatives that Federal, State, and local governments should not infringe on the ability of citizens to act in accordance with their religious beliefs; Whereas the United States was founded on the principles of freedom and democracy, and as Benjamin Franklin stated in the Pennsylvania Gazette in 1737 Freedom of speech is a principal pillar of a free government; when this support is taken away, the constitution of a free society is dissolved, and tyranny is erected on its ruins. ; Whereas freedom from religious persecution motivated many to flee Europe and make a new life in America and approximately 20,000 Puritans left England and settled in America in search of the liberty to worship God according to their beliefs; Whereas the Declaration of Independence affirms the sovereignty of God … they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness … ; Whereas the right to freedom of speech was codified in the First Amendment to the Bill of Rights, which states Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. ; Whereas the freedom of religion is not simply a blessing, but also a right and as our first President George Washington said, The liberty enjoyed by the people of these states of worshiping Almighty God agreeably to their conscience, is not only among the choicest of their blessings, but also of their rights. ; Whereas George Washington also said, Let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.