Constitution Index · S.Con.Res. 37 · 2026-07-21
A concurrent resolution authorizing the use of the rotunda of the Capitol for a ceremony to honor the late Senator Lindsey O. Graham.
Latest official status (2026-07-22): Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Constitutional grade
A
Constitutional
This concurrent resolution merely authorizes the use of the Capitol rotunda for a ceremonial tribute to a deceased senator. It involves no exercise of coercive federal power, no restriction on individual rights, and no transfer of authority. It is a routine internal housekeeping matter squarely within Congress's constitutional authority to manage its own proceedings and facilities.
Article I, Section 5, Clause 2 Article I, Section 8, Clause 18 Amendment I Amendment II Amendment III Amendment IV
SI-generated grade · passed automated checks (real Constitution citation, language rules) · not individually reviewed by a person · methodology · Report an error: hello@valuesforamerica.com
The five checks
Enumerated powers · passes
The Constitution grants Congress the authority to determine the rules of its proceedings and to manage its own internal affairs. Article I, Section 5, Clause 2 provides that 'Each House may determine the Rules of its Proceedings,' which implicitly includes the use of the Capitol building for official ceremonies. Additionally, Article I, Section 8, Clause 18 grants Congress the power to make all laws necessary and proper for carrying into execution its enumerated powers, which includes the management of the Capitol. This resolution is a purely internal legislative action, well within these powers.
Bill of Rights · passes
The resolution does not implicate any of the first ten amendments. It does not restrict speech, religion, assembly, press, or petition (First Amendment); it does not affect the right to keep and bear arms (Second Amendment); it does not involve quartering of soldiers (Third Amendment); it does not authorize any search or seizure (Fourth Amendment); it does not affect criminal proceedings, due process, or takings (Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth Amendments); and it does not infringe on unenumerated rights or reserved powers (Ninth and Tenth Amendments). The resolution is purely ceremonial and non-coercive.
Individual liberty · passes
The resolution imposes no restriction on any individual's person, property, speech, labor, or belief. It merely authorizes the use of a government building for a ceremonial event. No individual is compelled to do anything, and no private right is affected. The burden on government to justify restrictions is not triggered because there is no restriction.
Decentralization · passes
This action is a purely internal matter of the federal legislative branch. It does not involve any policy that could be handled by individuals, local communities, or states. The use of the Capitol rotunda is inherently a federal function, and the resolution does not consolidate any decision-making authority that would otherwise reside at a lower level. It passes all four questions: (1) individuals cannot handle this because the rotunda is federal property; (2) local communities cannot handle this because the rotunda is not local; (3) states cannot handle this because the rotunda is federal; (4) it does not consolidate upward because the decision is already at the federal level and is purely internal.
Due process and takings · passes
The resolution does not deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, and it does not take any private property. It does not involve any adjudicative or administrative proceeding that would require notice or a hearing. There is no due process or takings issue.
Provenance
- Congress.gov: SCONRES 37 summary · fetched 2026-10-14 · official page ↗
Version history · never overwritten
| Grade | Graded | Rubric | Source hash | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A · #981 | 2026-10-14 | vfa-constitutional-grade/1.0 | c71b000a5cf4 | current |
Cite this
Values for America. “Constitutional grade: S.Con.Res. 37, A concurrent resolution authorizing the use of the rotunda of the Capitol for a ceremony to honor the late Senator Lindsey O. Graham..” VFA Constitution Index, grade 981 (rubric vfa-constitutional-grade/1.0), graded October 14, 2026. https://www.valuesforamerica.com/constitution-index/grades/981. Accessed 2026-10-19.
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