Public Expression of Religion Act Headed to House [UPDATED]
[updated and bumped--db]
The House Judiciary Committee approved HR 2679 by a voice vote. The bill wouild preclude damages and attorney's fees in cases involving the Constitution's ban on establishment of religion. Americans United has released this statement criticizing the move. More of my thoughts on this bill here, and at Talk2Action here.
Will I ever get used to the way legislatures, from city council to Washington, D.C., push bills about religion as election time nears? No. Probably not. There are plenty of days left in the House schedule for the Public Expression of Religion Act to pass. I'll hope the Senate has a bit more sense. Stay tuned.
[UPDATE: Associated Baptist Press has this article on the House passage, including some news on the bill's vote, and its future.
On a 12-5 vote Sept. 7, the House Judiciary Committee passed the "Public Expression of Religion Act of 2006." In cases involving the First Amendment's establishment clause, the bill would not allow federal courts to require government entities to reimburse the legal costs of the individual or group that filed the lawsuit.]
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The committee's vote was split down party lines, with all 12 Republicans present supporting the bill and Democrats opposing it.
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According to sources close to the Judiciary Committee, Republican leaders are likely to bring the bill to the House floor as early as the week of Sept. 11.