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Senate Introduces Resolution To Make Federal Holiday Celebrating Evolution

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Casey Harper Contributor
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Democrats in Congress are pushing for a federal holiday to commemorate Charles Darwin and his theory of evolution.

Democratic Connecticut Sen. [crscore]Richard Blumenthal[/crscore] introduced a resolution in the Senate Friday to make Feb. 12 national “Darwin Day,” the second Congressman this month to push for a holiday celebrating the founder of the theory of evolution.

The holiday would also celebrate the importance of science, but atheist groups have applauded the effort for its ties to evolution. The holiday celebrates “the achievements of the biologist Charles Darwin and affirming the scientific consensus supporting the theory of evolution,” the Secular Coalition For America said in a statement.

Himes introduced the same resolution in February, but it was unsuccessful. The same resolution has been introduced in recent years by former New Jersey Democrat Rep. Rush Holt and California Democrat Rep. Pete Stark.

“This resolution celebrates the intellectual bravery and scientific discovery that contribute to the well-being of all people,” Kelly Damerow, the Interim Executive Director of the Secular Coalition for America, said in a statement. “Congressional recognition will help foster the scientific inquiry and natural curiosity that builds a brighter future for all mankind.”

Democratic Connecticut Rep. [crscore]Jim Himes[/crscore] introduced the resolution in the House earlier this month to create the holiday, but it has not gained steam.

Charles Darwin’s ground-breaking and world-changing work has left an indelible mark on the way human beings view the world and our relationship with it,” Himes says in a statement earlier this month. “Through his tireless observations and unique perspective on the world, Darwin made incredible breakthroughs toward revealing the origins of life and the fundamental genetic structures that make up every organism.”

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