[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 14]
[House]
[Pages 19863-19865]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



  EXPRESSING SENSE OF CONGRESS THAT PUBLIC SCHOOLS MAY DISPLAY ``GOD 
                            BLESS AMERICA''

  Mr. CASTLE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 248) expressing the sense of 
the Congress that public schools may display the words ``God Bless 
America'' as an expression of support for the Nation.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 248

       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that public 
     schools may display the words ``God Bless America'' as an 
     expression of support for the Nation.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Delaware (Mr. Castle) and the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. McCarthy) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle).


                             General Leave

  Mr. CASTLE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks on H. Con. Res. 248.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Delaware?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CASTLE. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
South Carolina (Mr. Brown), the distinguished author of this 
resolution.
  Mr. BROWN of South Carolina. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman 
from Ohio (Mr. Boehner), the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle), and 
the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Armey) for helping me bring this bill to 
the floor today.
  I think it is very important that we bring this up today because 
while more than a month has passed since September 11 there is still a 
great deal of anxiety in America. The events of September 11 have 
affected us all, whether we lost a loved one or not. The freedoms that 
America took for granted before this date have been shaken. Now, more 
than ever, many people are searching for strength and solace.
  Like the rest of my colleagues, I will never forget standing on the 
steps of the Capitol on the evening of the attack and singing ``God 
Bless America.''
  I am a newcomer to Congress and I have not had a chance to know each 
and every Member of this body very well. However, that night I felt 
closer to each of my colleagues than at any other time. We were all 
together, not as Republicans and Democrats, but as Americans united in 
support of our Nation.
  Madam Speaker, since that time, Congress has worked very hard to take 
necessary action to combat terrorism on many different fronts. But on 
September 11, as the damage was still being assessed, I think it was 
important for us to come together as a symbol of unity and sing ``God 
Bless America.''
  When I learned that some schools are being challenged for showing 
this same type of support for our Nation, I was deeply troubled.
  The case that was first brought to my attention is in Rocklin, 
California where the American Civil Liberties Union wrote a letter to 
Terry Thornton, the principal of Breen Elementary School, calling its 
display of ``God Bless America'' a ``hurtful, divisive message.''

[[Page 19864]]

  I take exception to that statement and believe the message sent by 
the ACLU is extremely wrong-headed. I further commend Principal 
Thornton for standing up for the principles of this country by refusing 
to take down this sign.
  Pride in America is higher than I have seen at any time in my 
lifetime, and it seems like actions such as this are trying to dampen 
the spirit in our country. To threaten a public school for showing the 
same type of patriotism that we showed on the Capitol steps is the 
opposite of what this country is all about.
  I introduced this resolution because Congress needs to make it 
abundantly clear that the kind of message displayed on the marquee of 
Breen Elementary is part of what makes our country great.
  As former President John Adams said, ``It is religion and morality 
alone which can establish the principles upon which freedom can 
securely stand.''
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to be mindful of these words and 
vote in favor of this resolution.
  Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as 
I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for offering this resolution. I 
rise in strong support of this resolution because it acknowledges the 
important role our schools play in times of crisis. The tragic events 
of September 11 have left a lifelong scar on our children.
  Many have asked why would someone do such a thing. Many are worried 
for their parents that may be fighting to end terrorism. There are so 
many questions that need to be answered, and fears to be addressed, but 
our teachers and our schools have risen to the occasion.

                              {time}  1415

  As a Representative from New York whose district was impacted by the 
terrorist acts of September 11, I have witnessed firsthand the 
remarkable job our teachers and school officials have exhibited to calm 
the fears of our children. In fact, you can find these exceptional acts 
of professionalism in schools throughout this great country.
  Children of all ages, as well as many adults, still find it difficult 
to comprehend the full magnitude of so much destruction and loss of 
life. Many of these children lost a parent. Many lost a brother or a 
sister or a cousin. However, all of them want to know why. Our schools 
have risen to this challenge by allowing children to ask the difficult 
questions and answering them in a way that makes them feel safe and 
proud. Schools across the country have become more than educational 
institutions. They have become a healing ground that answers our 
children's questions, comforts them during this time of need, and 
instills a sense of unity. I am proud to say our schools have answered 
this challenge with open arms.
  Not only have our teachers answered the tough questions with 
compassion and understanding, they have instilled a new sense of 
patriotism in the minds of our children. The Pledge of Allegiance to 
this country as well as the Star-Spangled Banner that is sung before 
events outside of the classroom will continue to unite us as Americans. 
The words of these national themes are just as important now as they 
were 200 years ago.
  I applaud our schools for their ability to help the children of this 
country understand there is no place for terrorism in this world and 
that the United States will do everything in its power to eliminate it.
  I urge all my colleagues to support this resolution.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CASTLE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, many of the original 13 colonies that became the 
United States of America were settled by men and women of deep 
religious convictions who crossed the Atlantic Ocean to practice their 
faith freely. It is therefore no surprise that a religious people rose 
in rebellion against Great Britain in 1776, and many American statesmen 
believed that religion was indispensable to the maintenance of 
republican institutions. Yet, when the first 10 amendments to the 
Constitution were ratified, religion was addressed in the first, with 
most Americans agreeing that the Federal Government should not choose 
one religion over another.
  Today, in response to the devastation of September 11, a surge of 
civic pride is sweeping the Nation. As teachers recall lessons of 
history and democracy, children wear their patriotism to school in red, 
white, and blue. Others create and display banners proclaiming ``God 
Bless America.''
  Unfortunately, instead of pulling us closer together, some believe 
that these acts, and the use of the words ``God Bless America,'' are 
pushing us farther apart. I believe in the separation of church and 
state, and we should not ask a child to recite a prayer that is not his 
or her own. That said, the first amendment does not remove all traces 
of religion from the classroom and it does not expel God from the 
school yard. Students can pray, religious clubs can meet after school 
and religious materials may be read during free time.
  Still, some have asked principals to remove ``God Bless America'' 
signs from their schools. I believe we should all take a step back and 
recognize that different people view these words in different ways. For 
some they hold a deeply religious connotation. Yet for other Americans 
they are a patriotic expression, not a religious one.
  In the aftermath of September 11, we are all healing, and none more 
slowly than our children. So long as schools are not erecting permanent 
religious symbols in a way that suggests advocacy of a particular 
religion, I believe our children can draw their own strength and 
meaning from these words and symbols. So let us take this expression as 
it is meant, much as we did when Republicans and Democrats burst into 
that song of the same name by Irving Berlin on the steps of the U.S. 
Capitol. More than anything, it was then, and it is now, an expression 
of pride and a slogan for peace.
  I commend the gentleman from South Carolina for his resolution. I 
urge the support of it.
  Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman 
from Pennsylvania (Mr. Pitts).
  Mr. PITTS. Madam Speaker, right now this country is united like never 
before. The President has a 90 percent approval rating. His handling of 
the war has a 94 percent approval rating. Bipartisanship is the rule of 
the day in Congress, and the flag is flying everywhere.
  One organization, however, it seems, has a problem with this 
patriotism. When Breen Elementary School in California put up a banner 
that says ``God Bless America,'' the ACLU decided they had a problem 
with it. Get this. They said it was hurtful and divisive. I do not know 
what planet the ACLU is living on, but there is nothing hurtful or 
divisive about saying ``God Bless America.'' September 11, that was 
hurtful. Saying ``God Bless America'' is anything but hurtful or 
divisive. It is unifying. In fact, that is the whole point of saying 
``God Bless America.'' We are all Americans. The American family has 
come together as a Nation. To some people, saying ``God Bless America'' 
is just a slogan. To some, a patriotic expression. To others, it is a 
prayer. But it means something to everyone. And, of course, it comes 
from that wonderful Irving Berlin song made so famous by Kate Smith. 
But it is not hurtful, and it is not divisive.
  The ACLU should stop wasting America's time with threats of 
ridiculous lawsuits. I urge my colleagues to pass this resolution 
unanimously.
  Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as 
I may consume.
  I will only say that I urge all of my colleagues to support this 
resolution. In this time of crisis in this Nation, we have seen so many 
of our neighbors and friends come together. Again, we have to work 
together. Let us not lose the main focus here. We are Americans. We 
have to stand together. I support this resolution and ask my colleagues 
to as well.

[[Page 19865]]

  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. CASTLE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. 
I would say in closing that I agree with the gentlewoman from New York. 
I agree with the sponsor of the resolution, the gentleman from South 
Carolina, and I think we agree with virtually all Americans who believe 
very strongly that this is something that helps in our schools and 
helps our children.
  I encourage each and every one of us to support it.
  Mr. BOEHNER. Madam Speaker, I am proud to support House Concurrent 
Resolution 248.
  The terrorist attacks of September 11 and ongoing threats to our 
security have left us all searching for comfort. They have also brought 
us together in our support for our Nation and for those defending us 
and our values. I believe we need to encourage even more public 
displays of support for America. One way to do this is by supporting 
the use of the phrase ``God Bless America,'' including the use of the 
phrase by schools. These words can provide the comfort communities need 
and show appropriate support for America.
  This House concurrent resolution makes clear Congress' support for 
displaying the words ``God Bless America'' by public schools as an 
expression of support for the Nation. We would expect schools, 
especially in this time, to want to convey the national ideal of 
patriotism for this country. It is only appropriate that we support 
schools in their quest to exemplify this idea. We must support the 
expression of patriotism for the Nation by schools. I believe that the 
words ``God Bless America,'' as used by this country's Founding 
Fathers, appropriately show this support.
  I urge my colleagues to support House Concurrent Resolution 248.
  Mr. DOOLITTLE. Madam Speaker, I submit these remarks with shock, 
sadness, and disgust. In the wake of the horrific terrorist attacks 
September 11, Breen Elementary School--located in my district in my 
hometown of Rocklin, CA--displayed a sign supporting both the victims 
of the attacks and our troops overseas engaged in America's war on 
terrorism. The sign simply--yet poignantly--stated ``God Bless 
America.''
  Incredulously, the American Civil Liberties Union decided that the 
sign was inappropriate, defiantly proclaiming that the words sent a 
``hurtful, divisive message.'' Apparently they are driven by the 
patently false perception that the sign somehow separates the line 
between church and state and is thus violative of the Constitution.
  But Madam Speaker, this isn't about separation of church and state, 
this is about purging God and all things religious completely out of 
American life. The ACLU and those that fund it are waging a cynical 
crusade, a war against all those who find comfort and solace in our 
Lord, plain and simple.
  How dare they try to stifle the spirit of Americans in these 
incredibly difficult times? How dare they hide behind the Constitution, 
perverting its meaning and twisting its words into a gag rule against 
the people it empowers? How dare they parade around our country 
purporting to protect the rights of Americans who choose not to 
practice religion while simultaneously behaving like secularist 
thieves, tirelessly trying to steal the rights of those who wish to 
express their faith in God and country?
  Madam Speaker, I urge the swift passage of this resolution, which 
expresses the sense of the Congress that public schools may display the 
words ``God Bless America'' as an expression of support for the Nation.
  As stewards of the ``People's House.'' we need to assure the citizens 
of our great Nation that their Congress stands behind them fully and 
unequivocally. That we support their right to express their support for 
those who have died in the horrible attacks and for those overseas, who 
are willing to give up their lives to preserve the right of all 
Americans to express themselves without fear or apprehension.
  Shame on the ACLU, for trying to stifle the spirit of not only the 
citizens of my hometown, but for trying to intimidate all Americans who 
freely yearn to express theyir love for this great country.
  Mr. DeMINT. Madam Speaker, I often rise in this House and speak about 
securing America's future. After the attacks of September 11, these 
words have taken on a whole new meaning.
  Securing America's future involves everything from strengthening our 
military and economy to educating our children.
  As we face this time of trial, we are reminded of the roots of our 
great nation and we are keenly aware of the values we hold dear.
  We are aware that freedom is not free, that liberty comes at a price, 
that the sacrifices of our founders and countless Americans have helped 
secure our present freedoms.
  Too many have fought too hard for too long for the principles of this 
nation to abandon them now.
  So I rise today to wholeheartedly support H. Con. Res. 248, 
introduced by my colleague from South Carolina, Mr. Brown.
  This resolution expresses the sense of Congress that public schools 
may display the words ``God Bless America'' as an expression of support 
for the nation. It should shame every Member of Congress that a vote is 
even necessary to allow school children to ask God to bless our 
country.
  This is America--the land of the free. ``God'' is not a banned word. 
Yet there are some who would tell our children that they cannot use 
that word as it might offend others.
  Our schoolchildren deserve the right to pray, to assemble, and to 
freely acknowledge God.
  As we educate our children on the principles of this nation, let us 
not forget that this nation was founded upon an acknowledgment of 
Almighty God as the giver of life and liberty.
  Madam Speaker, in the past I have brought before the House of 
Representatives a proposal to help schools stand up for their students' 
freedom of religious expression and counter the chilling effect that 
misinformation and lawsuits can have on our schools.
  I will introduce this Student Freedom of Religious Expression 
language again, and hope my colleagues will support the measure.
  Right now, in my home District, there is a high school student 
petitioning for the right to pray in school. I support him and believe 
he has that right.
  Madam Speaker, I do not believe that schoolchildren must leave their 
religious beliefs outside the schoolhouse door.
  I challenge the schoolchildren and educators across this nation to be 
thankful for the liberties this nation grants them, carry that 
thankfulness in their hearts, and be free to express their thanks and 
supplication to God at any hour of the day.
  Madam Speaker, let no one rob us of the right to ask blessings from 
God on our great nation.
  Again, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution and close by 
saying Let Freedom Ring and God Bless America.
  Mr. CASTLE. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Biggert). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle) that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 
248.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of 
those present have voted in the affirmative.
  Mr. CASTLE. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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