Amory Houghton: “I respect the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Bishop). He has talked eloquently about a very, very sensitive subject. There…”

“I respect the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Bishop). He has talked eloquently about a very, very sensitive subject. There is no question that this amendment improves the bill. However, it does not change the basic premise of it, that is, a bill which I basically oppose. It is hard to sort out the issues here, because both sides claim they are on the side of the righteous. Since 1995, we have had a religious equality amendment and a religious liberty amendment, and now we have got a religious freedom amendment. What are we trying to do? Who are we trying to help? What are the facts? The facts are, as I see them, these: This is a constitutional amendment. It will alter the First Amendment's religious clause for as long as we can see; and, thirdly, it expands government's involvement in religious activities, and is this really what we want? When I was elected here in 1986, one of the premises on which I came down here was to try to get government out of peoples' lives. I received a letter 2 days ago from an 83-year-old lady in my district, and let me just read you part of it: I remember when there was mandatory prayer in my public school. Before the prayer, which was recited by the teacher, those who were non-Christians had to leave the room and stand in the hall until the prayer was over. I am a Christian, but I decried this practice then and I do now 60 years later. The Supreme Court did not take God out of our schools.”