Faith

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." First Amendment, The Constitution of the United States of America

The United States Constitution grants all Americans freedom of religion, not freedom from religion. That's an important distinction. While we go to great lengths to ensure that the church doesn't intrude upon the government, we fail to stop the government from intruding upon the church and those would exercise their religious freedom.

The Founding Fathers rightly crafted the Constitution in such a way that there was a careful balance between not allowing a particular denomination or faith to control government yet at the same time creating a government where God could be acknowledged.

Prayer has played such an important role in the life of this nation from its earliest beginnings. I’m thankful for the opportunity to express my beliefs in a nation that celebrates religious freedom and tolerance. When you witness the strife in other parts of the world you realize how special it is to have the right to pray without fear of intrusion by the government.

As Thomas Jefferson stated in his second inaugural address on March 4, 1805, "In matters of religion, I have considered that its free exercise is placed by the Constitution independent of the powers of the General Government."

It's imperative that we remain true to the Constitution and the belief of our Founding Fathers and protect the religious freedom of those who choose to worship as well as those who choose not to.

Important Legislation

H.R. 2045, The Ten Commandments Defense Act: I introduced this legislation during the 108^th Congress which will protect the authority of individual States to display the Ten Commandments in public places. The Tenth Amendment serves as the basis of this legislation, stating that those powers not delegated to the federal government are reserved for the states. Further, it ensures freedom of religious expression guaranteed under the First Amendment to the Constitution. The bill in no way mandates that the Ten Commandments be displayed at any time, any place or in any state. It does not compel the states to display the Ten Commandments in any way.

H.R. 1070, the Constitution Restoration Act of 2005: I introduced this bill requiring the federal courts to operate within the jurisdiction given to them by the United States Constitution as it pertains to the public acknowledgment of God as the sovereign source of law, liberty, and government.

Federal courts prohibiting the acknowledgment of God is a denial of the very source of life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness which our founding fathers specifically recognized in the Declaration of Independence. Our founding fathers acknowledged this as an unalienable right given by God. Prohibiting public officials from recognizing God violates the Constitution’s Tenth and First Amendments.

Today, you’ll find the recognition of God by state and federal authorities in oaths, mottos, documents, prayers, and monuments; and it is the duty of the Congress, under Article III, to regulate the appellate jurisdiction of the U.S. Supreme Court and other federal courts. This is a check on the Judicial Branch to prevent it from exceeding its jurisdiction. The Constitution Restoration Act would preserve and restore the acknowledgment of God to our law and government.

Again, in now way is a state or political subdivision thereof required to do anything regarding the acknowledgement of God.

H.R. 2679, the Public Expression of Religion Act: This legislation would safeguard religious freedom by eliminating the authority of judges to award attorney fees in litigation against public officials and public entities.

In 1976, Congress passed a law called the Civil Rights Attorney's Fees Awards Act. This law was intended to help individual citizens bring suit against state officials who had deprived them of their constitutional rights. It levels the financial playing field so that a citizen – who in most cases does not have the funds available that a public entity might have – can afford to bring his or her case before a court of law. If that citizen wins the case, the losing party is required to pay for the attorney’s fees of both the plaintiff and the defendant.

Outside organizations have recently begun using the statute to claim that any public official who expresses religious beliefs or displays a memorial with religious imagery is promoting "an establishment of religion" and therefore violating the constitutional rights of citizens. Using the threat of having to pay attorney’s fees, these organizations have forced public officials and public entities to give in to their demands even when it is highly probable that their cases would prevail if permitted to be heard in a court of law.

This bill seeks to stop this practice by amending 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.

As I stated above, and it bears repeating here, in now way is a state or political subdivision thereof required to do anything regarding the acknowledgement of God.