c. 1997 Religion News Service

WASHINGTON _ Rep. Ernest Istook, R-Okla., Thursday (May 8) unveiled his proposed Religious Freedom Amendment, saying that the changes it would make in the Constitution would protect religious freedoms, including voluntary prayer in public schools.

Opponents, however, contend the measure is a backdoor method to undo the Constitution’s First Amendment and is unnecessary.

Istook’s measure renews a long and sometimes bitter fight over whether the Constitution should be amended to address religious expression.

The proposed amendment reads:”To secure the people’s right to acknowledge God according to the dictates of conscience: The people’s right to pray and to recognize their religious beliefs, heritage or traditions on public property, including schools, shall not be infringed. The government shall not require any person to join in prayer or other religious activity, initiate or designate school prayers, discriminate against religion, or deny equal access to a benefit on account of religion.” While Istook argues the proposal is about religious expression in a wide variety of public spaces, the most bitter battles are likely to be over its application to public schools.

At back-to-back press conferences on Capitol Hill held prior to the measure’s introduction, Istook and other House members on either side of the argument voiced their opinions on the divisive issue.”If we have free speech in this country, then it means you have the freedom to express your religious beliefs as well as other beliefs,”Istook said.

His proposed legislation has the bipartisan backing of more than 100 co-sponsors, including House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., and Majority Leader Dick Armey, R-Texas.

Rep. Robert Aderholt, R-Ala., was particularly pleased with the measure’s support of prayers in school.”I think we need to join together to fight for our children and for their right to pray in school,”he said.

Rep. Eliot Engel, D-N.Y., stood with a bipartisan group of legislators outside the U.S. Capitol to oppose Istook’s proposal.”Do we want our children to face ostracism when they are asked to leave the room if they do not wish to participate in a voluntary prayer?”he asked.”This amendment is a veiled attempt to force organized religion back into the schools.” Other opponents urged further education about the religious rights people already have in public places.

Leaders of the American Jewish Congress (AJC), who are opposed to any constitutional prayer amendment, released a letter to Istook urging the congressman to work with them to help inform school teachers and administrators about the religious rights of students.”It is our belief that by explaining to educators what religious activities their students can and cannot engage in under current law, we can _ hopefully with your help _ eradicate the isolated cases in which students’ rights are incorrectly abridged,”wrote David V. Kahn, president, and Phil Baum, executive director, of the AJC.

The AJC is part of a broad coalition of opponents that includes the National Council of Churches, the Episcopal Church, the Baptist Joint Committee on Public Affairs, the Reform Union of American Hebrew Congregations, and the American Civil Liberties Union, as well as boards and agencies from a variety of other Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Unitarian and secular groups.

In recent weeks, Istook has succeeded in gaining support for the amendment from several prominent conservative Christian groups, including the Christian Life Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, the National Association of Evangelicals and the board of administration of the Assemblies of God. They joined such other supporters as the Christian Coalition, Focus on the Family, Family Research Council and Concerned Women for America.”We will spend whatever resources are necessary to mobilize our grassroots network to see that the First Amendment’s freedom for religion will no longer be translated as freedom from religion,”Ralph Reed, executive director the Christian Coalition, said in a statement.

But one prominent conservative Christian group has not joined Istook’s list of supporters. The Christian Legal Society, a national association of Christian attorneys and law students, issued a statement Thursday declaring that Istook’s language”still needs substantial work.” Istook anticipates hearings on the matter this summer and a possible House vote in the fall.

The amendment requires passage by a two-thirds margin in the House and Senate and subsequent ratification by three-fourths of the 50 states before it could be added to the Constitution. Presidential approval is not required.

DEA END BANKS