Asa Hutchinson: “Mr. Speaker, I believe that all of America is seeing an attack on the Boy Scouts, and I think that our efforts today in…”

“Mr. Speaker, I believe that all of America is seeing an attack on the Boy Scouts, and I think that our efforts today in Congress is simply to defend them. The question is about tolerance. The Attorney General of the United States issued a statement in response to requests for an opinion that said that the Boy Scout jamborees are not federally conducted education or training programs. In other words, this is a private association. The Supreme Court has said they have a right to associate and to conduct themselves freely; that is what this country is about. They have African American Scouts, Asian American Scouts; and so they have a broad range, but they have some beliefs that they stand for and do not want to be compromised. I believe that is consistent with freedom. The gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey) referred to Boy Scouting for all. They have the freedom of association, but so does the Boy Scouts of America.”