WorldNetDaily reported yesterday that the American Legion has begun a campaign to get grass roots support for the proposed Public Expression of Religion Act ("PERA"), H.R. 2679. The bill would amend 42 USC Sec. 1983, the basic federal statute that authorizes suits for violation of civil rights by limiting relief for Establishment Clause violations to injunctions. Damages would no longer be available. It would also amend the Civil Rights Attorney Fees Act to preclude the award of attorneys' fees to plaintiffs bringing Establishment Clause claims. The bill, introduced by Rep, John Hostettler, R-Ind, currently has 40 co-sponsors.
Last week, the Legion released a booklet titled In The Footsteps Of The Founders – A Guide To Defending American Values, which gives background on PERA. The Legion is particularly focusing on suits against the BoyScoutss, and and attorneys' fees that have been awarded to ACLU lawyers. The booklet says: "There simply is no reasonable basis to support the profiteering in attorney fee awards ordered by judges in these cases. The very threat of such fees has made elected bodies, large and small, surrender to the ACLU's demands to secularly cleanse the public square."
