H.Con.Res. 47

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 47 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. CON. RES. 47

Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the public health, safety, 
and welfare implications of licensure of design professionals.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

September 4, 2025

Mr. Joyce of Pennsylvania submitted the following concurrent 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education and 
Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the public health, safety, 
and welfare implications of licensure of design professionals.

Whereas the several States have traditionally licensed individuals in the 
practice of certain design occupations, with California having passed 
the first surveying licensure law in 1891, Illinois having passed the 
first architecture licensing law in 1897, and Wyoming having passed the 
first engineering licensure law in 1907;
Whereas all 50 States, as well as territories and possessions, license 
individuals in the design profession disciplines;
Whereas the National Transportation Safety Board has recognized the importance 
of professional licensing among certain design professions, most 
recently in NTSB/PSR-18/02, an incident safety report regarding a 
natural gas distribution system in the northeast region of the Merrimack 
Valley, Massachusetts;
Whereas, more than 30 years ago, Congress recognized the importance of 
professional licensing in design disciplines in its report titled 
``Structural Failures in Public Facilities'' (H. Rept. 98-61), which 
recommended ``all necessary architectural and engineering design and on-
site services in public construction projects are furnished by licensed 
professionals who are qualified and experienced to assure the 
construction of safe structures''; and
Whereas many States are reducing requirements for, or eliminating the licensing 
of, certain occupations due to concerns over competition, market entry, 
and overregulation that do not serve the public interest, but in many 
cases the aforementioned State actions do not distinguish those 
professional design occupations in which licensing has a significant 
benefit to public health, safety, and welfare: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of Congress that--
(1) occupations in design professions, including but not 
limited to architecture, engineering, surveying, and mapping, 
are essential to the integrity of the built and natural 
environment and critical to the successful research, planning, 
design, construction, development, alteration, repair, 
operation, and maintenance of real property, the Nation's 
physical infrastructure, and resource planning activities, 
including the assessment, location, and development of critical 
materials, that contribute to maintaining the country's 
economic prosperity, national security, and environmental 
protection; and
(2) continuation of licensure of such occupations and 
professions by the several States is in the best interest of 
public health, safety, and welfare.
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