Political Quotes

“As we begin this important debate on the steps of this historic Capitol, religious leaders from all across America have gathered to voice their strong opposition to the Istook amendment, which would, for the first time in our Nation's history, amend the Bill of Rights. People of deep faith, because of their respect for the importance of religion in their individual lives, are standing with James Madison and Thomas Jefferson and all of the evidence of human history, which proves that the best way to ruin religion is to politicize it. If one believes that the way to protect religious liberty is to get government, the Federal Government, involved in private matters such as children's prayers with their God, allow judges to push their personal political views through the use of their offices and positions, and to actually use taxpayer dollars to fund religious organizations, if people believe that is the way to protect religious liberty, I think they are sadly mistaken. Mr. Speaker, whether one supports or opposes the Istook amendment, and I vehemently oppose it, the fact is that this process, this rule, does a great disservice to that cherished document we call the Bill of Rights.”