[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 12]
[House]
[Page 17338]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    STANDING WITH COACH JOE KENNEDY

  (Mr. WALBERG asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in solidarity with Washington 
State High School football coach Joe Kennedy.
  For 7 years, Coach Kennedy has prayed midfield at the conclusion of 
his team's games. He didn't require anybody else to be there or listen. 
He simply knelt and quietly prayed to thank God for the safety of the 
kids on his team.
  Last month, the school district ordered him to stop. When he didn't, 
Coach Kennedy was placed on administrative leave. Can you believe the 
school district is trying to argue that you can pray, just as long as 
nobody sees it? But that is not what the Constitution says. It protects 
the free exercise of religion. It doesn't say the public square should 
be a faith-free zone.
  Faith must impact life. Mr. Speaker, I hope people of every faith 
background and no faith at all will stand together in defense of every 
American's constitutional right to religious freedom.
  We stand with you, Coach Kennedy.

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