Every generation reaches a moment when it must look inward and decide what kind of future it wants to build. That moment is now.

Across America, people from every background share the same hopes — a good education, fair pay for honest work, affordable housing, and clean air and water for our families. Yet these basic needs are not fully protected under current law. Our Constitution guarantees many freedoms, but not the conditions that make those freedoms truly livable.

We believe it’s time to take a fresh, constructive look at our national values and use them to strengthen both our democracy and our economy.

This petition calls on Congress to commission a nationwide Values Survey, conducted in every state, to identify what citizens consider essential for a fair and sustainable society. The results should be mapped to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) — a framework already adopted by 190+ countries — and used to draft a 28th Amendment that enshrines the right to:

Quality education
Decent pay for decent work
Safe, affordable housing
Clean air, water, and environment
These are not partisan issues; they are shared human needs that make communities stronger, businesses more resilient, and the nation more stable.

By aligning our domestic goals with globally recognized standards like the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and the SDGs, we can ensure that U.S. leadership promotes both freedom and fairness — at home and abroad.

This approach would:

Strengthen trust in government by grounding policies in citizens’ real values.
Reduce economic insecurity and social division.
Improve America’s standing as a partner for global peace, trade, and sustainability.
📜 We urge Congress to begin this process — to survey citizen values, align them with the SDGs, and initiate a 28th Amendment guaranteeing the fundamental conditions for human dignity.
And we call on state legislatures to pledge support for ratifying such an amendment once proposed.

Together, we can define the next chapter of American democracy — one rooted in shared values, sustainable prosperity, and respect for every person’s right to live with dignity.