Sam Gibbons: “today I rise to express my astonishment and outrage at the ruling of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which declared…”

“today I rise to express my astonishment and outrage at the ruling of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which declared the Pledge of Allegiance to be unconstitutional. Mr. Speaker, what could this court be thinking? Under their reasoning, our money would be unconstitutional, the Presidential oath would be unconstitutional, and yes, this very Chamber, the House of Representatives, would be unconstitutional. To call the Pledge of Allegiance unconstitutional is the highest embarrassment for our judicial system, and this ruling undermines everything our Nation stands for, principles set back in 1776, as well as the Declaration of Independence, which by the way includes the word God as well. Mr. Speaker, is the very document that announced our Nation's independence also unconstitutional? Next week we will be celebrating our Nation's independence, and I hope every American will remember and celebrate our Nation's traditions, including expressing our unity as one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all, and may God bless America.”