Chris Van Hollen: “from listening to the other side, you would think that this was something that was run-of-the-mill, that we took away…”

“from listening to the other side, you would think that this was something that was run-of-the-mill, that we took away these protections every day and have in the past. That is just not true. This is the first time this Congress will eliminate, delete language in our statutes, in our laws that expressly prohibits discrimination in these programs based on religion. It is the first time we will remove a protection that this body has decided is important and fundamental to American principles of operation of church and State. As has been stated, this language was first signed into law in 1982 by Ronald Reagan. It was readopted in 1998 by this House of Representatives. And it continues to make sense to every American out there that their tax dollars should not go to discriminate when it comes to federal programs that are secular in nature. Mr. Speaker, I am extremely disappointed that this full House is not given the opportunity to debate this full issue and vote up and down.”