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Emerson Votes to Protect Pledge from Court Challenges

Date: July 19, 2006
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Judicial Branch


Emerson Votes to Protect Pledge from Court Challenges

U.S. Representative Jo Ann Emerson (MO-08) today cast her vote in favor of H.R. 2389 the Pledge Protection Act offered by her colleague Rep. Todd Akin. The bill, which restricts the ability of federal courts to hear cases on the constitutionality of the Pledge of Allegiance, passed in the House of Representatives by a margin of 260-167.

"The Pledge of Allegiance is an important part of our national identity. We begin each day in the House of Representatives with a prayer and the Pledge, and the Pledge is an important embodiment of our American values. The inclusion of the phrase, ‘under God,' in the Pledge is important and should be shielded from activist judges who would legislate from the bench," said Rep. Emerson.

The Pledge Protection Act of 2005 amends the Federal judicial code to deny Federal and appellate jurisdiction to the Supreme Court to question the constitutionality of the Pledge of Allegiance. The Pledge Protection Act also reserves to state courts the authority to decide whether the Pledge is valid within each state's boundaries. According to Article III, Section 2 of the Constitution, Congress is granted the power to limit the jurisdiction of Federal courts.

http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/mo08_emerson/pr_060719.html

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