Original Resolution Honoring John Brown

H. Res. 645 is a ceremonial House resolution that honors John Brown for his anti-slavery work and his role in abolition. It places Brown among a group of figures who advanced the idea that life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness should apply to all people, while acknowledging the nation's historical contradiction in not extending those rights to everyone from its founding. The resolution notes Brown’s involvement in actions like Bleeding Kansas and the raid on Harpers Ferry as significant in shaping the national conversation on slavery and its eventual abolition. It also frames the effort as part of a broader call to reflect on America’s complex history and to strive for a more inclusive union. The bill is non-binding and purely ceremonial, with no new policy or funding authority.