Political Quotes

“Thank you, Congresswoman Hartzler, for putting this together. I appreciate your important work on this. This is such an important subject for us to be talking about. Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight troubled by what appears to be growing attacks on the religious freedom of those serving in our military. Our great Nation, as you all know, was founded on the principle that all men and women have a natural right to freely practice their respective faiths. These rights extend equally to the brave men and women who serve in our Armed Forces. Our founding documents were written with the express purpose of protecting the inalienable rights of American citizens, including that of religious liberties. The First Amendment states: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. In 1785, the father of the Constitution, James Madison, said: The religion then of every man must be left to the conviction of conscience of every man, and it is the right of every man to exercise it as these may dictate. He recognized that one's faith contains dictates that, barring harm to others, demand obedience from adherents. And obedience not only in thought and behavior, but also by speech and action as well. An individual's faith is inseparable from the way in which he or she lives and acts.…”