[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 27 (Friday, February 17, 2012)]
[House]
[Page H929]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       LOSS OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

  (Mr. HARRIS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. HARRIS. Mr. Speaker, it's day 7 since the loss of religious 
freedom for Americans guaranteed under the First Amendment. We know 
that last Friday, when the final rule was issued by the Department of 
Health, it was identical to the rule issued last September, with no 
further accommodations for individuals of faith.
  Mr. Speaker, yesterday, on day 6 of the loss of religious freedom for 
Americans guaranteed under the First Amendment, outside the White House 
a Catholic priest and Presbyterian minister were arrested for 
protesting that loss of religious freedom when they knelt to pray for 
the restoration of religious freedom. Yes, Mr. Speaker, it is now 
illegal in the United States to kneel and pray in front of the White 
House for the restoration of religious freedom. These Americans had to 
pay a $100 fine for exercising their religious freedom in front of the 
White House.
  Mr. Speaker, you know that if they were Occupy protesters, I guess 
they would just put a tent over them and they would be immune from 
anything happening to them. But they weren't Occupy protesters; they 
were there to kneel and pray for the restoration of religious freedom.
  Mr. Speaker, I hope we don't go past day 7 of that loss of freedom.

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