Washington, D.C. – Today, Third District Congressman Walter B. Jones was joined by House and Senate colleagues and some of the nation’s foremost spiritual leaders in calling for the passage of HR 235, the Houses of Worship Freedom of Speech Restoration Act.

Congressman Jones opened the event by quoting Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., “‘The Church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state, but rather the conscience of the state. It must be the guide and the critic of the state, and never its tool. If the church does not recapture its prophetic zeal, it will become an irrelevant social club without moral or spiritual authority.’ Dr. King was exactly right. We need to restore the First Amendment Right of Free Speech to America’s religious leaders so that they may help keep America great.”

Senators Sam Brownback of Kansas and Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, as well as Congressmen Mike Pence of Indiana and Joe Pitts of Pennsylvania, joined Jones in calling upon the House and Senate leadership to get HR 235 passed during the 109th Congress.

“Our founders wrote the First Amendment to protect two vital freedoms: speech about political subjects and religious worship,” Senator Coburn said. “Those who want to silence religious leaders have turned the Constitution on its head.”

“This bill will finally lift the fear and anxiety from houses of worship that seek to speak out on issues that affect the local community and our nation,” U.S. Senator Sam Brownback said.

Other speakers included Connie Mackey, Vice President for Government Affairs for the Family Research Council; Bishop Anthony Muse; Jay Sekulow, Chief Counsel for the American Center for Law and Justice; Pastor Rodney L. Parsley, founder and president of the Center for Moral Clarity; Father Peter West and Father Denis G. Wilde, O.S.A. of Priests for Life; Lanier Swann, Director of Government Relations for Concerned Women for America; and Gary Cass, author of Gag Order and Director of the Center for Reclaiming America. Other passionate support groups who attended included the Christian Coalition, Joyce Meyer Ministries, Concerned Women for America, Family Research Council, the National Prayer Center and the Traditional Values Coalition.

If passed, HR 235 will allow America’s religious leaders to speak freely from the pulpit on the moral and political issues of the day. The bill has been re-introduced in the House of Representatives by Congressman Jones and was referred to the Ways and Means Committee, where it currently remains.

For additional information please contact Kristen Quigley in Rep. Jones’ office at (202) 225-3415.