ACLJ National Petition Tops 160,000 Names Urging President Bush to Protect Prayer by Military Chaplains.

WASHINGTON -- The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), specializing in constitutional law, said today more than 160-thousand people from across the nation have signed on to a national petition urging President Bush to enact an Executive Order protecting the constitutional rights of military chaplains to pray according to their faith. The ACLJ petition campaign is in conjunction with efforts underway in Congress - spearheaded by Rep. Walter Jones of North Carolina - urging President Bush to act.

"Military chaplains play a vital role in providing comfort and spiritual support for our men and women who serve this country protecting our freedoms," said Jay Sekulow, Chief Counsel of the ACLJ who is working with members of Congress on this issue. "It is troubling to learn that efforts are underway inside the military to censor chaplains and to prevent them from praying according to their faith. The fact is that chaplains have a constitutional right to adhere to the religious expressions of their faith and exercise them freely without censorship. For Christian chaplains to refrain from praying in the name of Jesus - as some have suggested - represents a serious disservice not only to the chaplains - but to the many Christian service men and women who turn to their chaplains for comfort, inspiration, and support. It is gratifying that more than 160-thousand Americans are standing with us to protect military prayer and we urge President Bush to act to protect our military chaplains."

"I am so grateful to the ACLJ for their efforts in drawing attention to this important issue," said Rep. Jones. "I am thankful that so many people have lent their signature and their support to the cause of protecting our military chaplains' right of free speech. After hearing account after account of military chaplains throughout the Armed Services who have experienced the suppression of their constitutional right to pray according to their faith, I believe it is so very important that the President is made aware of this pervasive problem."

In addition to working with members of Congress and conducting a national petition campaign in support of military prayer, the ACLJ also provided the Air Force with a legal analysis of proposed guidelines which would restrict how Air Force chaplains can pray. In its analysis, the ACLJ concluded that Air Force chaplains - and all military chaplains - have a constitutional right to pray according to their faith. The ACLJ recommended that the Air Force abide by legal precedent which supports the constitutionality of faith-specific prayer for military chaplains.

The ACLJ has collected 161,828 names in a national petition campaign that was launched in conjunction with a Congressional effort spearheaded by Representative Walter Jones (R-NC) expressing concern about the proposed Air Force restrictions on military prayer for chaplains - restrictive guidelines that could be implemented throughout the Department of Defense. In an October 25th letter to President Bush, Rep. Jones requested President Bush, as Commander and Chief, to "protect by Executive Order the constitutional right of military chaplains to pray according to their faith." Nearly 75 members of Congress have signed on to the letter sent to President Bush.

Led by Chief Counsel Jay Sekulow, the ACLJ specializes in constitutional law and is based in Washington, D.C. The ACLJ is online at www.aclj.org.