HR 373 — A Resolution condemning any threats of political violence made against elected representatives and reaffirming the duty of uniformed military personnel to comply with the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

PRINTER'S NO.   2662

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



              HOUSE RESOLUTION
                 No. 373
                                                 Session of
                                                   2025

     INTRODUCED BY FRIEL, WEBSTER, PIELLI, HOWARD, OTTEN, SAPPEY,
        SHUSTERMAN, D. WILLIAMS, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, BURGOS, WAXMAN,
        ISAACSON, KOSIEROWSKI, McANDREW, VENKAT, DAVIDSON, GREEN,
        TAKAC, SCOTT, PROBST, BOYD, SALISBURY, DONAHUE, BOROWSKI,
        STEELE, KHAN, RIVERA, POWELL, CIRESI, FLEMING, KINKEAD,
        SOLOMON, SCHLOSSBERG, MALAGARI, BRENNAN, GIRAL, HOHENSTEIN,
        INGLIS, CERRATO, MADDEN, SANCHEZ AND BRIGGS,
        NOVEMBER 21, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
        PREPAREDNESS, DECEMBER 3, 2025


                                  A RESOLUTION
 1   Condemning any threats of political violence made against
 2      elected representatives and reaffirming the duty of uniformed
 3      military personnel to comply with the Uniform Code of
 4      Military Justice.
 5         WHEREAS, Recent public statements, attributed to the
 6   President of the United States, have been widely interpreted as
 7   threats of political violence or retaliation against elected
 8   representatives who have publicly affirmed that members of the
 9   armed forces of the United States must refuse unlawful orders;
10   and
11         WHEREAS, The Constitution of the United States establishes a
12   system of separated powers and checks and balances that are
13   designed to prevent the consolidation of authority in any one
14   individual, including the President, and guarantees that all
15   elected officials may discharge their duties free from threats
 1   of retaliation or violence; and
 2        WHEREAS, The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania reaffirms the
 3   principle, declared in the Declaration of Independence, that the
 4   government "derives their just powers from the consent of the
 5   governed," and that the legitimacy of the republic depends upon
 6   the free exercise of representative government without fear,
 7   intimidation or coercion; and
 8        WHEREAS, The House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of
 9   Pennsylvania expresses grave concern regarding any rhetoric,
10   regardless of the speaker or political party, that could
11   reasonably be construed to encourage, endorse or threaten
12   political violence or prosecution against members of the
13   legislative branch for the lawful exercise of their
14   constitutional duties; and
15        WHEREAS, The Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) and the
16   longstanding traditions of the armed forces of the United States
17   make unequivocally clear that service members have a legal and
18   moral obligation to refuse unlawful orders, consistent with
19   Articles 90, 91 and 92 of the UCMJ, which require obedience only
20   to lawful orders; and
21        WHEREAS, The Nuremberg Principles, the rulings of American
22   military tribunals and United States military doctrine establish
23   that following orders is not a defense for participation in
24   illegal acts and that the rule of law requires individual
25   responsibility; and
26        WHEREAS, Any direct or implied attempt to threaten elected
27   representatives for affirming these foundational principles
28   represents a danger to constitutional governance, civilian
29   control of the military and the rule of law itself; therefore be
30   it

20250HR0373PN2662                    - 2 -
 1      RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the
 2   Commonwealth of Pennsylvania condemn any statements, threats or
 3   insinuations of political violence from any official, including
 4   the President of the United States, that seek to intimidate or
 5   punish elected representatives for upholding the Constitution of
 6   the United States or for reaffirming the duty of service members
 7   to refuse unlawful orders; and be it further
 8      RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the
 9   Commonwealth of Pennsylvania reaffirm the constitutional and
10   statutory obligations of all uniformed military personnel to
11   obey only lawful orders, to protect the Constitution of the
12   United States and to reject any directive that violates the
13   rights of the people or the rule of law; and be it further
14      RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to
15   the President of the United States, the Secretary of Defense,
16   the presiding officers of each house of Congress and to each
17   member of Congress from Pennsylvania.




20250HR0373PN2662                 - 3 -