Westmoreland: Constitution reading ‘an historic moment’

For the first time in Congress’ 221 year history, a bi-partisan group read the Constitution aloud on the floor of the U.S. House.

“This is truly an historic moment. For the first time in our history, the U.S. Constitution has been read aloud in the House of Representatives,” U.S. Rep. Lynn Westmoreland, R-Ga., said in a statement.

“With this one symbolic act of reading the document that actually created and governs Congress, Congressional Republicans have made a promise to the American people they will not allow congressional overreach to happen under their watch,” Westmoreland said.

Westmoreland read the Sixth Amendment, which guarantees “the right to a speedy and public trial.”

Republicans say the move was intended to highlight their focus on adhering to the Constitution moving forward. “As the written expression of the consent the American people gave to their government – a consent with restrictions and boundaries – the public reading of the Constitution will set the tone for the 112th Congress,” U.S. Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., said in a Tuesday statement announcing the reading.