Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty - BJC troubled by Army Secretary nominee's church-state record

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BJC troubled by Army Secretary nominee's church-state record

Thursday, 30 July 2009
WASHINGTON - President Obama's choice of U.S. Rep. John M. McHugh, R-N.Y., to be the next U.S. Army Secretary is troubling because his voting record in Congress shows that he is no friend to religious liberty and its constitutional corollary, the separation of church and state. "While Rep. McHugh clearly has a background that is generally well-suited for the job, his congressional record on the relationship between church and state raises serious questions about his understanding of the constitutional restraints on government in matters of religion," Walker said. Walker said Rep. McHugh has supported numerous bills and legislation to allow the display of the Ten Commandments on public property, and to exploit confusion on the issue of prayer in public schools, including the infamous "Istook Amendment" that would amend the Constitution to essentially gut the Establishment Clause. Rep. McHugh also opposed a legislative provision that would have required the Secretary of Defense to report instances of improper proselytization of service academy cadets to Congress. "While I do not presume to criticize the President's estimation of who is best qualified to serve as Army Secretary," Walker said, "I am disappointed that he selected a person who lacks a basic respect, or perhaps even an understanding, for the First Amendment's protection of religious liberty through the separation of church and state." -30-
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