CONGRESSMAN RICK RENZI (AZ-1)
Rural Arizona’s Voice in the House of Representatives
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: | CONTACT: | ||
| September 26, 2006 |
Vartan Djihanian – 202-226-8273 |
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Renzi Votes to Protect Religious Freedom |
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(WASHINGTON, D.C) - U.S. Rep. Rick Renzi today voted in favor of H.R. 2679, the Public Expression of Religion Act, legislation that will make it less likely for the American Civil Liberties Union and other like minded groups from threatening to file frivolous lawsuits against cities and towns for allegedly violating the Establishment Clause of the Constitution. The Public Expression of Religion Act passed the House by a vote of 244-173. “The ACLU shamelessly files lawsuits against local cities and towns for allegedly violating the Establishment Clause knowing that the municipalities will be forced to settle out of court because of costly legal fees,” said Congressman Renzi. “Far too many local governments have been bullied around by the likes of the ACLU for displaying Ten Commandments monuments, veteran’s memorials, and other religious symbols.” Currently federal law allows the award of attorneys’ fees in Establishment Clause cases, which means that a defendant who happens to lose such a case in court or on appeal could be responsible for hundreds of thousands of dollars in attorneys’ fees. H.R. 2679, the Public Expression of Religion Act, amends federal law to provide that Establishment Clause cases brought against a local or state government or the federal government can only be brought for injunctive or declaratory relief – in other words, the only relief the court could order in such cases would be that the defendant cease whatever it was that was found to be a violation of the Establishment Clause. By allowing only injunctive relief in Establishment Clause cases, the Public Expression of Religion Act will help ensure that state and local governments and the federal government and its agencies are not coerced into curtailing the free expression of religion.
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