108th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1558 To restore religious freedoms. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES August 1 (legislative day, JULY 21), 2003 Mr. ALLARD introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary A BILL To restore religious freedoms. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the 'Religious Liberties Restoration Act'. SEC. 2. FINDINGS. Congress finds the following: (1) The Declaration of Independence declares that governments are instituted to secure certain unalienable rights, including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, with which all human beings are endowed by their Creator and to which they are entitled by the laws of nature and of nature's God. (2) The organic laws of the United States Code and the constitutions of every State, using various expressions, recognize God as the source of the blessings of liberty. (3) The first amendment to the Constitution secures rights against laws respecting (4) The rights secured under the first amendment have been interpreted by the (6) Disputes and doubts have arisen with respect to public displays of the Ten (7) Section 5 of the 14th amendment grants Congress the power to enforce the provisions of the 14th amendment. (8) Article III, section 2 of the Constitution grants Congress the authority to except certain matters from the jurisdiction of the Federal courts inferior to the Supreme Court. SEC. 3. RELIGIOUS LIBERTY RIGHTS DECLARED. END (a) DISPLAY OF TEN COMMANDMENTS- The power to display the Ten Commandments on or within property owned or administered by the several States or political subdivisions of such States is among the powers reserved to the States, respectively. (b) WORD 'GOD' IN PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE- The power to recite the Pledge of Allegiance on or within property owned or administered by the several States or political subdivisions of such States is among the powers reserved to the States, respectively. The Pledge of Allegiance shall be, `I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and justice for all.'. (c) MOTTO `IN GOD WE TRUST'- The power to recite the national motto on or within property owned or administered by the several States or political subdivisions of such States is among the powers reserved to the States, respectively. The national motto shall be, `In God we trust'. (d) EXERCISE OF CONGRESSIONAL POWER TO EXCEPT- The subject matter of subsections (a), (b), and (c) are excepted from the jurisdiction of Federal courts inferior to the Supreme Court. COSPONSORS(11), ALPHABETICAL Sen Brownback, Sam - 9/23/2003 [KS] Sen Shelby, Richard C. - 9/25/2003 [AL] Sen Bunning, Jim - 10/20/2003 [KY] To safeguard our religious liberties. 108th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3190 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 25, 2003 Mr. PICKERING introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary To safeguard our religious liberties. A BILL Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the 'Safeguarding Our Religious Liberties Act'. SEC. 2. FINDINGS. Congress finds the following: (1) The Declaration of Independence declares that governments are instituted to secure certain unalienable rights, including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, with which all human beings are endowed by their Creator and to which they are entitled by the laws of nature and of nature's God. (2) The organic laws of the United States Code and the constitutions of every State, using (3) The first amendment to the Constitution secures rights against laws respecting an (4) The rights secured under the first amendment have been interpreted by the Federal courts (5) The 10th amendment reserves to the States, respectively, the powers not delegated to the Federal Government nor prohibited to the States. (6) Disputes and doubts have arisen with respect to public displays of the Ten Commandments and to other public expression of religious faith. (7) Section 5 of the 14th amendment grants Congress the power to enforce the provisions of the 14th amendment. (8) Article III, section 2 of the Constitution grants Congress the authority to except certain matters from the jurisdiction of the Federal courts inferior to the Supreme Court. SEC. 3. RELIGIOUS LIBERTY RIGHTS DECLARED. (a) DISPLAY OF TEN COMMANDMENTS- The power to display the Ten Commandments on or within property owned or administered by the several States or political subdivisions of such States is among the powers reserved to the States, respectively. (b) WORD 'GOD' IN PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE- The power to recite the Pledge of Allegiance on or within property owned or administered by the several States or political subdivisions of such States is among the powers reserved to the States, respectively. The Pledge of Allegiance shall be, `I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and justice for all.'. (c) MOTTO IN GOD WE TRUST'- The power to recite the national motto on or within property owned or administered by the several States or political subdivisions of such States is among the powers reserved to the States, respectively. The national motto shall be, 'In God we trust'. (d) EXERCISE OF CONGRESSIONAL POWER TO EXCEPT- The subject matter of subsections (a), (b), and (c) are excepted from the jurisdiction of Federal courts inferior to the Supreme Court. END H. R. 3190 COSPONSORS(34), ALPHABETICAL : Rep Bachus, Spencer - 10/17/2003 [AL-6] Rep Norwood, Charlie - 11/20/2003 [GA-9] 108th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 2323 To limit the jurisdiction of Federal courts in certain cases and promote federalism. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES April 20, 2004 Mr. SHELBY (for himself, Mr. MILLER, Mr. BROWNBACK, Mr. GRAHAM of South Carolina, Mr. ALLARD, Mr. INHOFE, and Mr. LOTT) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary A BILL To limit the jurisdiction of Federal courts in certain cases and promote federalism. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the `Constitution Restoration Act of 2004'. TITLE I--JURISDICTION SEC. 101. APPELLATE JURISDICTION. (a) AMENDMENT TO TITLE 28- Chapter 81 of title 28, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: 'Sec. 1260. Matters not reviewable 'Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the Supreme Court shall not have jurisdiction to review, by appeal, writ of certiorari, or otherwise, any matter to the extent that relief is sought against an entity of Federal, State, or local government, or against an officer or agent of Federal, State, or local (whether or not acting in official or personal capacity), by reason of that entity's, officer's, or agent's acknowledgement of God as the sovereign source of law, liberty, or government.'. government (b) TABLE OF SECTIONS- The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 81 of title 28, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: `1260. Matters not reviewable.'. SEC. 102. LIMITATIONS ON JURISDICTION. (a) AMENDMENT TO TITLE 28- Chapter 85 of title 28, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end of the following: `Sec. 1370. Matters that the Supreme Court lacks jurisdiction to review Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the district court shall not have jurisdiction of a matter if the Supreme Court does not have jurisdiction to review that matter by reason of section 1260 of this title.'. (b) TABLE OF SECTIONS- The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 85 of title 28, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: 1370. Matters that the Supreme Court lacks jurisdiction to review.'. TITLE II--INTERPRETATION SEC. 201. INTERPRETATION OF THE CONSTITUTION. In interpreting and applying the Constitution of the United States, a court of the United States may not rely upon any constitution, law, administrative rule, Executive order, directive, policy, judicial decision, or any other action of any foreign state or international organization or agency, other than English constitutional and common law. |