AMERICAN ATHEISTS, INC.
http://www.atheists.org
http://www.americanatheist.org

For more information, please contact:
Ellen Johnson, President (908) 276-7300
Dave Silverman, Communications Director (732) 648-9333

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 11, 2006


    REPUBLICAN PUSH FOR RELIGION LITIGATION ACT PENALIZES EFFORTS
             TO PRESERVE SEPARATION SAYS ATHEIST GROUP


An Atheist civil rights group today warned that House Republicans are
endangering the constitutional separation of government and religion by
promoting a bill that would prevent litigants from recovering legal fees
in cases pertaining to the First Amendment.

The House Judiciary Committee recently held hearings on the "Public
Expression of Religion Act" (HR 2679) introduced by Rep. John
Hostettler.  A vote is expected shortly, and Republicans hope to bring
the measure to the full House in the next three weeks as part of their
"American Values Agenda."  The bill proposes to amend U.S. law by
"eliminating the chilling effect on the constitutionally protected
expression of religion by State and local officials that results from
the threat that potential litigants may seek damages and attorney's
fees," according to the official summary.

"This is not about personal religious expression, it is about
unconstitutional and unfair promotion of religion by government," said
Ellen Johnson, President of American Atheists. "This bill is designed to
make it more expensive and difficult for private individuals and
advocacy groups to take public officials to court when they engage in
improper activities like displaying the Ten Commandments on government
property or promoting public prayer."

Dave Silverman, Communications Director for American Atheists, said if
enacted, PERA would be "a green light for government to bully citizens
and promote sectarian religion."

"If Rep. Hostettler is concerned about legal challenges to promotion of
religion by state and local government, he needs to ask himself why
these cases are filed in the first place."

AMERICAN ATHEISTS is a nationwide movement that defends civil rights for
Atheists; works for the total separation of church and state; and
addresses issues of First Amendment public policy.

American Atheists, Inc.
P. O. Box 5733
Parsippany, NJ 07054-6733
Tel.: (908) 276-7300
Fax: (908) 276-7402