63 U.S. Congressmen Go to Court to Defend National Day of Prayer

Teresa Neumann : Jul 15, 2010
Nick Dean - CNS News

"The unprecedented bipartisan support for the group's amicus brief means that members of Congress are looking to ensure that the current Justice Department will vigorously defend the National Day of Prayer."

(Washington, DC)—CNS News reports that 63 members of the House and four senators (both Republican and Democrat), members of the Congressional Prayer Caucus, have filed an amicus brief to defend the National Day of Prayer. (Photo: CNSNews.com/Penny Starr)

Jordan Sekulow, attorney at the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) which is representing the congressmen, was quoted as saying the Establishment clause of the First Amendment protects the National Day of Prayer because it is not the call of, or for, a specific religion, it is not mandated, and there are no punishments for not participating.

"That goes back to, what I think the First Amendment is about, which is an establishment of a religion in the United States. That means you don't say that it is, for instance, the Baptist Day of Prayer, just the National Day of Prayer," Sekulow said. "Anyone or no one at all can pray in the way that they want to or not pray—there is no punishment for not taking part in the National Day of Prayer."