Fighting 'Under God' Update

Over the weekend, I wrote a story about Rep. Turner's fight to restore God to certificates issued for flags that have been flown over the Capitol. A journalist finally got around to putting Speaker of State Nancy Pelosi on the record. If you guessed that she would defend the policy, then you are today's winner... The Cleveland Plain Dealer's Sabrina Eaton has the story on OPENERS:

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi today defended the Architect of the Capitol's refusal to permit use of the word "God" on official certificates enclosed with flags flown over the U.S. Capitol.
...
Asked about the issue today at a press luncheon, Pelosi said the architect's policy was adopted because "people were asking for statements that not only were religious, beyond using the word God, but political as well." She said the official policy is to send a certificate that lists nothing beyond the date the flag flew over the Capitol and the name of its recipient. She said that members of Congress who request flags on behalf of constituents can "add whatever they wish" to the certificates, "whether it is a political statement or a religious statement."

"It's not about being anti-religion," Pelosi said, noting that each day in the Capitol starts with a prayer. "It is just about what the architect thought was appropriate for him to proclaim in a certificate."

I saw Rep. Turner (my mayor!) on Fox and Friends this morning saying that 137 congressmen have signed his letter so far and Sabrina reports that Turner has vowed legislation on the issue if the Speaker doesn't take action:

Turner said Tuesday that he will continue seeking more signatures for his letter asking Pelosi to overturn the policy, and "if the speaker and the architect continue to implement their censorship program, we will drop legislation to compel the architect to return to granting inscriptions permitting the acknowledgement of God."

He said members of Congress vet the appropriateness of messages constituents request with the flags, and their discretion should be sufficient.

"We have the responsibility for these common sense issues that might arise with flag inscriptions and this one is basic," Turner said. "The architect has decided the word 'God' is offensive. This rule should not be allowed to stand."

I'll go ahead and point out that there is already a law...it's called the First Amendment:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

I don't know why the Architect of Congress and the Speaker of State fail to understand about that, but there it is...

I am also hearing that Leader Boehner addressed this issue this morning in conference and that we can expect action if the Speaker fails to instruct the Architect to get on board.

UPDATE: Boehner to Pelosi: "No Compromise on God in Flag Certificates"

House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) today sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) calling on her to immediately use her authority to direct the Architect of the Capitol to stop the practice of removing references to God from the official certificates that accompany United States flags flown over the Capitol. In the letter, Boehner calls for full restoration of the longstanding congressional tradition of using the word God in such certificates upon request.

“The American people have grown weary of endless attempts by politicians and bureaucrats to bar the word God and even the most tacit references to faith from our public institutions,” Boehner said. “We are One Nation Under God, and the rules and procedures of our national legislature should continue to reflect it.”

“This policy does not reflect the will of the American people. It was not applied in this manner under previous House majorities. And those of us who serve in the current Congress should not allow it to stand,” Boehner said in the letter. “There is an easy solution: as Speaker, you have the authority to instruct the Acting Architect to disregard the written policy and restore the longstanding practices that have been the tradition of the House for generations. This would be the right thing to do. As Speaker, you have the authority – and the opportunity – to do the right thing.”

Text of the letter:

Dear Speaker Pelosi:

In recent days it has been brought to our attention that employees of the Office of the Architect of the Capitol (AoC) are removing references to God from the official certificates that accompany United States flags that are flown over the Capitol and sent by Members of Congress to their constituents.

This practice, which overturns a longstanding and long cherished congressional tradition, has rightly drawn outrage from the American people, who have grown weary of endless attempts by politicians and bureaucrats to bar the word God and even the most tacit references to faith from our public institutions. I am grateful for the actions of Rep. Michael Turner (R-OH), who had the courage to speak out about this situation after the word God was erased from a certificate that accompanied a flag requested by a young Eagle Scout who wanted to honor his grandfather.

The Acting Architect of the Capitol believes he is required to enforce a written policy, put in place by his predecessor in 2003, until directed otherwise. But this policy does not reflect the will of the American people. It was not applied in this manner under previous House majorities. And those of us who serve in the current Congress should not allow it to stand. Rep. Vern Ehlers (R-MI), the senior Republican on the House Administration Committee, has sent a letter to the Acting Architect urging that the policy be rescinded immediately.

There is an easy solution: as Speaker, you have the authority to instruct the Acting Architect to disregard the written policy and restore the longstanding practices that have been the tradition of the House for generations. This would be the right thing to do. As Speaker, you have the authority – and the opportunity – to do the right thing.

I am writing to request that you immediately use your authority as Speaker to instruct the AoC to resume its longstanding practice, and allow the word God to once again appear on the certificates that accompany American flags. We are One Nation Under God, and the rules and procedures of our national legislature should continue to reflect it.

Sincerely,

John Boehner (R-OH)

House Republican Leader