Contact: Stacey Holliday, Concerned Women for America, 202-488-7000 ext. 126

WASHINGTON, Sept. 26 /Christian Newswire/ -- Concerned Women for America (CWA) applauds the House today for passing the Public Expression of Religion Act (PERA), H.R. 2679, introduced by Rep. Hostettler (R-Indiana).  The passage of this legislation brings us one step closer to preventing legal groups, like the ACLU, from collecting attorney’s fees from the defendants they sue in establishment clause cases.  Eliminating these monetary awards will free citizens to stand up for their constitutional freedoms and not face crippling judgments for attorney’s fees.

“Today marks a tremendous triumph for Americans who value their constitutional and religious freedoms,” said Lanier Swann, CWA’s Director of Government Relations, “but the Senate needs to vote final passage on this bill before it can become law.  The House has shown leadership by advocating on behalf of their constituent’s rights; the Senate now needs to heed that duty.

“If this bill is voted on by the Senate and signed into law, citizens will have the confidence to pursue lawsuits in cases where their religious liberties have been violated.  Americans who wish to contest violations such as the refusal to allow the display of the Ten Commandments, the denial for the Boy Scouts of America to meet on public property, the omission of the words ‘under God’ in the Pledge of Allegiance or the ban on student prayer at football games will have one less hindrance to protecting their rights.  

“Final passage of this legislation would ensure fewer attacks on our religious freedoms,” said Swann.

Concerned Women for America is the nation’s largest public policy women’s organization.