Public Expressions of Religion Act Reintroduced In Congress

Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KA) yesterday reintroduced into Congress the Public Expressions of Religion Act that would ban plaintiffs from recovering attorneys' fees in civil rights suits against local governments when the successfully challenge public displays of religion and faith. (Press release.) Currently the 1976 Civil Rights Attorney Fees Awards Act (42 USC 1988(b) ) permits recovery of attorneys' fees by successful plaintiffs in Section 1983 suits. The bill was introduced in the last session of Congress. It passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 244-173, but was not voted on in the Senate.