Political Quotes

“America already has a religious freedom amendment. It was not written by the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Istook), and passed through this House after less than 1 day of committee hearings and 2 hours of floor debate. Rather, it was written by Mr. Madison of Virginia, after debating with Mr. Jefferson for well over a decade, 200 years ago. Those 16 words that begin the first amendment of our Bill of Rights have served this Nation extraordinarily well. We should not change it for the first time today. Mr. Speaker, I would like to respond to some of the things I have heard on the other side of this debate today. First, I have heard that prayer and God have been taken out of our schools. In fact, the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Istook) this morning in a debate with me said the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Edwards) wants to take God out of our schools. Nothing could be further from the truth. I would say, Mr. Speaker, to the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Istook) and others that the God I deeply worship and pray to cannot be taken out of any classroom, anyplace, anywhere in America, any time, not by the Supreme Court, not by any Member of this Congress.”