The bill designates November 2 through November 8 as Anti-Communism Week and adds a new designation to Title 36, United States Code, creating a framework for annual observance. It includes a series of findings that frame communism as a historical threat and a justification for formal remembrance.
The act also instructs the President to issue a yearly proclamation observing the week and makes a clerical amendment to the table of sections accordingly. The provision is ceremonial in nature and does not create new substantive policy obligations beyond the observance itself.
At a Glance
What It Does
Designates November 2–8 as Anti-Communism Week and adds Section 149 to Title 36 to formalize the observance. The President is requested to issue an annual proclamation.
Who It Affects
Executive-branch offices charged with national observances, federal agencies that host or coordinate public ceremonies, and organizations that participate in commemorative activities.
Why It Matters
It codifies a nationally recognized observance, creating a formal mechanism for remembrance and education about anti-communist themes, while relying on existing government structures to observe the week.
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What This Bill Actually Does
The bill begins by establishing a set of findings that portray communism as an oppressive historical force and frame the United States’ stance as one of defending liberty and human rights. It then designates a specific window—November 2 through November 8—as Anti-Communism Week, and directs the President to issue an annual proclamation observing the week.
The designation is codified by adding Section 149 to Chapter 1 of Title 36, United States Code, and by amending the table of sections to include the new entry. The overall effect is ceremonial: it creates a legal anchor for publicly recognizing anti-communist memory and education, without creating new policy mandates or substantive regulatory requirements.
Organizations, schools, and government offices may choose to participate in ceremonies or programming, but the bill does not authorize appropriations or define new regulatory obligations.
The Five Things You Need to Know
The week is fixed to November 2–8 every year.
Section 149 is added to Title 36 to codify Anti-Communism Week.
The President is requested to issue an annual proclamation observing the week.
The bill contains findings that dramatize the harms of communism and advocate for remembrance.
A clerical amendment inserts the new section into the table of sections for Chapter 1, Title 36.
Section-by-Section Breakdown
Every bill we cover gets an analysis of its key sections.
Findings supporting Anti-Communism Week
The bill opens with a series of findings that characterize communism as destructive and antithetical to liberty. These findings establish the justificatory basis for the week by appealing to historical consequences, the suppression of faith and freedom, and the long-running tension between ideology and individual rights. The findings set a tone for the observance and signal the bill’s normative purpose: to remember the victims of oppression and to reaffirm core American commitments to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Designation of Anti-Communism Week
Section 2(b) designates November 2 through November 8 as Anti-Communism Week. It authorizes the President to issue a proclamation each year calling on Americans to observe the week with appropriate ceremonies and activities. The provision frames the week as a national observance rather than a substantive policy change, relying on existing ceremonial channels to mobilize participation.
Clerical amendment to Title 36
Section 2(c) instructs the clerical insertion of a new item, 149, into the table of sections for Chapter 1 of Title 36, United States Code, to reflect the designation of Anti-Communism Week. This ensures the designation is reflected in the codified structure governing national observances and makes the designation searchable and publicly discoverable in the code.
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Explore Government in Codify Search →Who Benefits and Who Bears the Cost
Every bill creates winners and losers. Here's who stands to gain and who bears the cost.
Who Benefits
- Federal agencies and ceremonial offices responsible for coordinating national observances, which gain a formal anchor to plan and publicize events.
- Educational and cultural institutions (e.g., museums, universities, civics programs) that design programs around the week and use it to teach history and rights.
- Civic and veterans organizations that host commemorative events and public discussions.
- Media outlets and publishers that cover the observance and related educational content.
Who Bears the Cost
- Local and state governments and public schools that opt to participate may incur logistical and staffing costs for events.
- Nonprofit and community groups producing observance materials may bear additional producer or programming costs.
- Federal agencies coordinating ceremonies may incur administrative overhead, though the bill does not authorize new funding.
Key Issues
The Core Tension
The central dilemma is whether the government should designate a week that explicitly memorializes an ideological stance. The designation can strengthen remembrance and education, but it also risks blurring lines between state ceremonial functions and political messaging, raising concerns about neutrality and inclusivity in a diverse public.
The bill creates a ceremonial observance with a minimal administrative footprint, but it raises questions about how government-endorsed commemorations interact with civic space and political speech. Because the designation rests on a set of findings that frame communism in particularly stark terms, the observance could become a focal point for public discourse about ideology and history.
There is no funding authorization in the text, so any observances would rely on existing resources and voluntary participation, which could lead to uneven implementation across agencies and jurisdictions. The act also relies on the President’s proclamation, which introduces executive-branch discretion into a symbolic national week.
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