OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Greece v. Galloway

Floor Speech

Date: Sept. 9, 2013
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights Religion

Mr. COLLINS of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise today to promote the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, specifically, the right of all citizens to freely express their religion.

This November, the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments in the case of Town of Greece v. Galloway. The town of Greece, located just outside of my district in western New York, is accused of violating the First Amendment because the vast majority of volunteers who opened town meetings, they opened them with a prayer using Christian references.

Legislative and communal prayer has a rich tradition in this country and should not be curtailed by illegitimate fears of religious overreach in the United States. We must remain a Nation that does not force a religion on any person but is accepting of those who wish to profess their faith.


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