On the recordFebruary 17, 2012
It's day 7 since the loss of religious freedom for Americans guaranteed under the First Amendment. We know that last Friday, when the final rule was issued by the Department of Health, it was identical to the rule issued last September, with no further accommodations for individuals of faith. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, on day 6 of the loss of religious freedom for Americans guaranteed under the First Amendment, outside the White House a Catholic priest and Presbyterian minister were arrested for protesting that loss of religious freedom when they knelt to pray for the restoration of religious freedom. Yes, Mr. Speaker, it is now illegal in the United States to kneel and pray in front of the White House for the restoration of religious freedom. These Americans had to pay a $100 fine for exercising their religious freedom in front of the White House. Mr. Speaker, you know that if they were Occupy protesters, I guess they would just put a tent over them and they would be immune from anything happening to them. But they weren't Occupy protesters; they were there to kneel and pray for the restoration of religious freedom. Mr. Speaker, I hope we don't go past day 7 of that loss of freedom. ____________________
