Bill Nelson: “today I rise to submit a concurrent resolution on behalf of myself, Senators Allard, Allen, Ben Nelson of Nebraska…”

“today I rise to submit a concurrent resolution on behalf of myself, Senators Allard, Allen, Ben Nelson of Nebraska, Sessions and Enzi expressing the sense of the Congress that the Department of Defense should continue to exercise its statutory authority to support the activities of the Boy Scouts of America, in particular the periodic national and world Boy Scout Jamborees. I am especially appreciative of the efforts undertaken by numerous Scouting organizations to assist Service members deployed in the war on terrorism. As you are aware, the American Civil Liberties Union sued the Department of Defense, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and others, challenging the various statutory authorizations of support for the Boy Scouts on the grounds that they violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. The Department of Justice is fighting the lawsuit, and the Department of Defense is assisting in all respects.”