Aderholt Calls Kentucky Ten Commandment Ruling Out of Step with Founders and Vast Majority of Americans

Aderholt Calls Kentucky Ten Commandment Ruling Out of Step with Founders and Vast Majority of Americans

"These rulings are perfect examples of why legislation, like the Constitution Restoration Act, is necessary to clarify the courts' misinterpretation of our Constitution," said Congressman Aderholt.

WASHINGTON, DC, June 27, 2005 -- Congressman Robert Aderholt (R-Haleyville) today responded to the Supreme Court rulings on the display of the Ten Commandments.

"Today's rulings by the Supreme Court only serve to further confuse the role of our religious heritage and the acknowledgment of God in the public square. To say that the Ten Commandments may not be displayed or may only be displayed in a historical context is not consistent with the intentions of the men who designed our government over 200 years ago; furthermore, they are not consistent with the desires of the vast majority of Americans," said Congressman Aderholt.

"Today's decisions by the Supreme Court is a perfect example of why our founding fathers included language in Article III, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution, giving Congress the authority to determine the jurisdictional scope of the federal courts," said Congressman Aderholt. "The Constitution Restoration Act, H.R. 1070, which I've introduced based upon this constitutional authority, is consistent with the framework established by our founders."

Congressman Aderholt introduced the Constitution Restoration Act (H.R. 1070) on March 3, 2005. It would require federal courts to operate within the jurisdiction set by our founding fathers in the United States Constitution, as it pertains to the public acknowledgment of God as the sovereign source of law, liberty, and government.

"Legislation that I have introduced will return to the people the power to make these decisions on faith. It is the duty of Congress, under Article III, to regulate the appellate jurisdiction of the U.S. Supreme Court and other federal courts. This check was included by the founding fathers to assert their intention to prevent the Judicial Branch from exceeding its jurisdiction. This legislation, the Constitution Restoration Act (H.R. 1070), will restore and preserve the acknowledgment of God by our law and government," added Congressman Aderholt.

"Therefore, whether it is a public display of the Ten Commandments, the Pledge of Allegiance in the classroom, or the national motto 'In God We Trust,' all would be protected since it is in essence the acknowledgment of God."

H.R. 1070 has been referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. Senator Richard Shelby (R- Ala.) has introduced identical legislation in the United States Senate.

"It looks like this Supreme Court wants to set up new guidelines and laws when it comes to the acknowledgment of God in the public square. It is very strange that federal buildings, federal courthouses, and congressional offices can display the Ten Commandments but when it comes to state or county courthouses, the Supreme Court has set out very rigorous and complicated limits. It is unfortunate that the Supreme Court views the Ten Commandments as an establishment of religion in some cases. The Ten Commandments were respected by our founders, as were many passages of Scripture. Whether the Ten Commandments are displayed alone, or with other documents that had an influence on our founders, one is hard-pressed to view this as establishment of religion."

http://aderholt.house.gov/HoR/AL04/Newsroom/News+Releases/2005/Ten+Command+Sup+Court+06-27-05.htm