Lucas Votes To Keep 'Under God' In Pledge Of Alliance

LUCAS VOTES TO KEEP ‘UNDER GOD' IN PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Third District Congressman Frank Lucas voted today to protect the Pledge of Allegiance from those who would like to have it no longer include the phrase "under God." He supported legislation to give back power to state courts to decide if the Pledge is valid within their boundaries.

"Liberal groups would like to remove every aspect of God in our society," Lucas said. "But if they are successful in preventing us from mentioning God in our Pledge of Allegiance, what's next? Should we remove references to God on our money, as well as the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution?"

H.R. 2389, the Pledge Protection Act, gives state courts the authority to rule on the constitutionality of the Pledge for their state only. This will prevent activist federal judges from ruling on the constitutionality of the Pledge for the citizens of states hundreds of miles away.

Lucas has long been a crusader in protecting the Pledge of Allegiance. He introduced legislation to create a constitutional amendment protecting the Pledge in America's schools, in response to a San Francisco Federal Appeals Court ruling declaring the Pledge of Allegiance unconstitutional.

"Today we began our legislative day in the House of Representatives the same way that millions of American schoolchildren did - by reciting the Pledge of Allegiance," Lucas said. "We need to ensure that tradition continues for future generations."

The Pledge Protection Act passed the House today by a vote of 260 to 167. It has not yet been voted on in the Senate.

http://www.house.gov/list/press/ok03_lucas/pledgehouse06.html