Contact: Dave Bohon, WDC Media, 612-940-8406, davebohon@wdcmedia.com

WASHINGTON, Sept. 15 /Christian Newswire/ -- A House-Senate Conference Committee is in a heated debate over whether to include language in the Defense Appropriations bill that would protect the right of military chaplains to pray according to their conscience. On Monday, September 18th, U.S. Congressman Jim Ryun (R-KS) will join host Jay Sekulow on the nationally syndicated daily radio program “Jay Sekulow Live!” to discuss this pressing national issue.

Language in the House version of the bill declares, “Each chaplain shall have the prerogative to pray according to the dictates of the chaplain’s own conscience, except as must be limited by military necessity, with any such limitation being imposed in the least restrictive manner feasible.”

But some members of the Senate Conference Committee want this language struck from the bill that funds the military. The dispute has attracted tremendous public interest because of the recent court martial of Navy Chaplain Lieutenant Gordon James Klingenschmitt, who was found guilty of disobeying an order by appearing in uniform and praying in the name of Jesus at a March 30th news conference outside the White House.

“For over 200 years military chaplains have faithfully served our troops, offering spiritual counsel to Americans in uniform,” said Jay Sekulow, Chief Counsel with the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ). “To censor the prayers of chaplains in their ministry to our servicemen and women is an outrage -- yet this is an immediate possibility unless Congress passes legislation protecting our chaplains from such restrictions. We’ll discuss this crucial issue on Monday’s program and find out how Americans can help defend the right of chaplains to faithfully execute their duty.”

“Jay Sekulow Live!,” which airs daily on radio stations coast to coast, tackles tough issues ranging from legal and legislative battles underway throughout America to topics dealing with national security and religious freedoms. The program broadcasts live, Monday through Friday, at 12:00 Noon (ET) on more than 600 radio stations nationwide and is heard by over 1.5 million listeners daily.

To find a station in your area, visit www.aclj.org/OnTheRadio/Default.aspx or listen online at: www.oneplace.com/ministries/jay_sekulow_live.

About Jay Sekulow

A renowned Supreme Court attorney whom “Time” magazine has called a “powerful counterweight” to the ACLU, Jay Alan Sekulow is Chief Counsel for the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), a law firm and educational organization that specializes in constitutional law. He is also Chief Counsel of the European Center for Law and Justice (ECLJ). Click here to read more about Nationally Renowned First Amendment Attorney Jay Sekulow.