House Passes Measure on Religion Suits

The House passed a bill yesterday that would bar judges from awarding legal fees to the American Civil Liberties Union and similar groups that sue municipalities for violating the Constitution’s ban on government establishment of religion.

“Liberal groups . . . scour the country looking to sue cities and states with any kind of religious display, regardless of how popular these displays are,” said Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite (R-Fla.). Because judges often require municipalities that lose such lawsuits to reimburse their opponents’ legal fees, “citizens’ precious monuments are being eroded with their own tax dollars,” she added.

The bill, called the Public Expressions of Religion Protection Act, passed 244 to 173 on a mostly party-line vote.

Nice try guys – too bad it doesn’t have much chance of making it through the senate.