NAN A. S. HAYWORTH: “As an Eagle Scout, I rise in strong support of this resolution and am heartened by the bipartisan outpouring of support…”

“As an Eagle Scout, I rise in strong support of this resolution and am heartened by the bipartisan outpouring of support for the Boy Scouts of America, as mentioned earlier, a movement that was chartered federally by this very Congress early in the 20th century. While we today reiterate our support for the scouting movement, as my colleague from California, the sponsor of this resolution, noted, scouting is under attack. The American Civil Liberties Union filed a nuisance lawsuit against the Pentagon saying that somehow sponsorship of Scout troops on military bases violates the doctrine of separation of church and State. Mr. Speaker, that is a nuisance lawsuit, and I am sorry the Defense Department attorneys decided to surrender to the ACLU. Mr. Speaker, I have written Secretary Rumsfeld asking him to countermand the decision of the Pentagon lawyers. Scouting values, military values, citizenship values, a respect and reverence for our Creator is not a violation of the doctrine of separation of church and State. So I hope those who join us in support of this resolution will likewise join us to say to the Pentagon attorneys, take down the white flag of surrender, do not give up on scouting, and we remain poised to take further measures to ensure that our government institutions follow the will of the people and the sentiment of the Congress.”