Victor Fazio: “the Founding Fathers struggled long and hard over the very issue that we are spending relatively little time on here…”

“the Founding Fathers struggled long and hard over the very issue that we are spending relatively little time on here today on the floor, but I can say I think from listening to this debate that the Members on both sides of the aisle speak from deep conviction. Their comments today about their own personal faith that they bring to this debate I think have made the debate on this issue exemplary. I am particularly impressed by those Members who perhaps do not talk about their religion on a regular basis but who have today talked about their belief in God and the way in which they attempt to communicate with their God through private prayer. But, unfortunately, I think the amendment we are voting on today is unnecessary and, frankly, could do damage to the first amendment that gives Americans the freedom to practice whatever religion they choose and the protection, which we often overlook, of not having religion forced upon them. Our Founding Fathers were just as concerned about the people who came to this country to practice their beliefs out from under organized, government-sanctioned religion. This is not simply a concern about religion influencing a secular world.…”