[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 14]
[House]
[Page 19592]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1415
                    FREEDOM OF SPEECH IN THE PULPIT

  (Mr. PEARCE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PEARCE. Mr. Speaker, this weekend I attended the dedication of a 
new sanctuary service at Church on the Move in Roswell, New Mexico. As 
I sat there watching the efforts of Pastor Troy Smotherman come to a 
culmination of just building his congregation and extending it, I 
thought of the labors of all pastors across the country, like Dr. Dean 
Mathis whom my wife and I have studied with for over 20 years, and 
realize that the work of these good and decent individuals to exhort 
their members toward justice, kindness, peace, faith, love and just 
quiet living of decent lives is indeed a tribute to this Nation.
  It is entirely appropriate that, at this point where we are going to 
discuss the Federal marriage amendment on the floor of the House in 
front of the people, that we recognize that these quiet ministers 
building congregations across the country do not have the right or the 
freedom to speak from their pulpits about this very important subject.
  Mr. Speaker, I would recommend and request that the House and the 
Senate consider the language that stifles conversation from the pulpits 
of this Nation.

                          ____________________