[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 32 (Monday, March 21, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: March 21, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
               VOTES REGARDING THE ISSUE OF SCHOOL PRAYER

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                           HON. KWEISI MFUME

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, March 21, 1994

  Mr. MFUME. Mr. Speaker, on February 23, 1994, I voted against a 
motion to instruct the House conferees to accept an amendment offered 
by the senior Senator from the State of South Carolina to H.R. 1804, 
the Goals 2000 legislation, which had been accepted in the other body 
by a vote of 75 to 22.
  Specifically, the amendment states that:

       No funds made available through the Department of Education 
     under this Act, or any other Act, shall be available to any 
     state or Local Education Agency which has a policy of 
     denying, or which effectively prevents participation in, 
     constitutionally protected prayer in public schools by 
     individuals on a voluntary basis. Neither the United States 
     nor any state nor any Local Education Agency shall require 
     any person to participate in prayer or influence the form or 
     content of any constitutionally protected prayer in such 
     public schools.

  I would like to state at this point, however, that on February 23, 
1994, I voted erroneously--a conclusion I came to after a careful 
review of my position and of my past votes.
  A review of my record on this matter will show that on May 9, 1989, I 
supported an amendment to the Vocational Education Reauthorization 
which was almost identical to the amendment stated above. Specifically, 
the amendment would have allowed voluntary prayer in school. I do not 
know of any other instances since May 9, 1989, on which this issue has 
been addressed on the House floor.
  As the record should indicate, I also voted today in favor of the 
amendment offered by the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Sam Johnson, which 
again mirrors the language which was approved in the other body.
  Mr. Speaker, I hope that this clarifies my position on the issue.

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