Newt Gingrich Sixth District Georgia

Speaker's Press Office
United States House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

SPEAKER ACCEPTS PETITION IN SUPPORT OF SCHOOL PRAYER

Washington, D.C. -- House Speaker Newt Gingrich today joined House Majority Leader Dick Armey, House Majority Whip Tom Delay, with Representatives Ernest Istook and J.C. Watts to receive 250,000 petitions from African American and Hispanic religious leaders who are advocating renewed support for the Religious Freedom Amendment. The proposed amendment recommends the encouragement of school prayer and further protects religious freedom. Speaker Gingrich issued the following statement:

"Unrestrained religious freedom is one of the most significant cornerstones of our national heritage. The United States was first settled by people in search of sanctuary from religious persecution. Our most fundamental right is an individual's ability to freely worship one's Creator and express the joy of their spirituality.

"It is the height of decadence when we, as Americans, are prevented from exercising our deepest spiritual beliefs in any setting due to the broad and usurping proclivities of government. That is why I commend the efforts of the Religious Freedom Coalition and its leaders to revive the American spirit.

"Today, we have schools where drugs, violence and rape are routine dangers faced by our children. As the concerned father of two wonderful daughters, I realize prayer is one of the more powerful weapons in the heroic fight against the moral decay of our country and our most precious resource: the children."

--Newt Gingrich
   Speaker of the House