Religions > Atheism > Urgent, AA Action Alert: House to vote Thursday on PERA, HR 2679
| Topic: |
Religions > Atheism |
| User: |
"Larry Mundinger" |
| Date: |
26 Jul 2006 07:05:42 PM |
| Object: |
Urgent, AA Action Alert: House to vote Thursday on PERA, HR 2679 |
ACTION ALERT UPDATE -- URGENT!
Thursday, July 27, 2006
HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE TO VOTE ON HR 2679 THURSDAY!
The House Committee on the Judiciary (link: http://judiciary.house.gov)
is expected to vote on HR 2679, the "Public Expression of Religion" Act
tomorrow, Thursday, July 27, 2006. Members of the Committee and the
House at large need to hear from us NOW to stop this dangerous
legislation! Please read and circulate this Action Alert -- and
contact your Congressional Representative.
DEFEAT CONGRESSIONAL MOVE TO END LEGAL FEES FOR FIRST AMENDMENT
LITIGATION!
“Public Expression of Religion Act” threatens separation, encourages
government prayer bullying!
http://www.atheists.org/action/alert-13-mar-2006.html
In Washington, House Republicans have launched a campaign to fast-track
several bills affecting our constitutional separation of church and
state. The “American Values Agenda” includes a measure to protect
“unborn children,” ban cloning and penalize legal challenges to
violations of the First Amendment’s establishment clause.
A bill introduced by Rep. John Hostettler (R-IN) would amend a section
of the United States Code and eliminate attorney fees in legal cases
where government violated the constitutional separation of church and
state.
H.R. 2679, disingenuously titled the “Public Expression of Religion
Act” claims that attorneys working for organizations that defend the
First Amendment and challenge unconstitutional governmental practices
in respect to religion are enriching themselves and even violating the
rights of believers. The American Legion has launched a national
campaign to support PERA, and is calling for “a ground swell of public
demand on lawmakers” to pass the bill immediately. A “guide” to PERA
issued by this group states: “There simply is no reasonable basis to
support the profiteering in attorney fee awards ordered by judges in
these (Establishment Clause) cases. The very threat of such fees has
made elected bodies, large and small, surrender to … demands to
secularly cleanse the public square.”
The House Judiciary Committee recently held a little-publicized,
one-day hearing on the “Public Expression of Religion Act.” Only one of
the four experts invited to give testimony spoke out against the
legislation. American Atheists expects the committee to vote shortly on
PERA. The measure could then move to the full House for a floor vote
within the next two to three weeks. Congressional representatives need
to hear from us now regarding this dangerous, unconstitutional measure!
Pera is About Government Promotion of Religion, Not “EXPRESSION OF
RELIGION”
American Atheists President Ellen Johnson says that the Hostettler
measure “is not for the benefit of the taxpayer, but for government and
religious leaders who insist on eroding the wall of separation between
church and state.”
“They know, as do we, that most attorneys are simply unable to work on
long-term, complex litigation if they don’t receive some compensatory
fee,” Johnson noted. “We’re not talking about donating a few free hours
‘to the cause.’ These cases require an enormous amount of time and
effort.”
Governments are often quite willing to squander taxpayer funds in order
to defend their unconstitutional practices. The Hostettler bill
conveniently ignores this fact.
“Whether it is school prayer or defending a religious monument in the
public square, state and local governments are frequently very
short-sighted and belligerent when caught doing something that violates
the First Amendment,” said Johnson. “If the Legion and Rep. Hostettler
really wish to save all of us some money, they should work to stop
unconstitutional practices that promote religion.”
Congress Needs to Hear From Us Now to Stop the PERA
Once Again, Atheists, freethinkers, Humanists and other non-believers
must speak out and tell our elected representatives in Washington, DC
that we oppose legislation aimed at eroding the separation of church
and state – bills like the “Public Expression of Religion Act”!
* PERA lowers the penalty bar when government is caught in flagrant
violation of the Establishment Clause.
* The bill penalizes attorneys and organizations that defend the
separation of church and state, but does nothing to prevent political
leaders from draining the public treasury to defend unconstitutional
practices in court.
* This legislation has nothing whatsoever to do with legitimate
religious expression. It is all about government sponsorship and
promotion of religion.
* Contact your congressional representative now!
* Check out our “Tips on Contacting Congress” Page
* Be sure to ask for a written response to your concerns. Make your
letters, faxes and e-mail concise and to-the-point. Be polite. Be sure
to sign your communique.
* Share you letter and any responses you receive and we will post
them on this web site
* Spread this Action Alert! If you are in an Atheist/freethought
group, consider posting this message to your newsletter, web site and
e-mail lists. Urge others to circulate this Alert, too!
(AMERICAN ATHEISTS is a nationwide movement that defends civil rights
for Atheists; works for the total separation of church and state; and
addresses issues of First Amendment public policy.)
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Larry Mundinger (aa#451) American Atheists Internet Representative
<irep @ atheists.org> <http://www.atheists.org/>
<http://www.americanatheist.org/> <http://www.atheistviewpoint.tv/>
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