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HR 283
As Introduced

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H. R. No. 283 As Introduced

As Introduced

130th General Assembly

Regular Session

2013-2014

H. R. No. 283

Representative Young

Cosponsors: Representatives Adams, J., Beck, Becker, Buchy, Derickson, Hood, Thompson

A RESOLUTION

To urge the United States Congress and the United States Department of Defense to protect and uphold the religious and free speech rights of military service members.

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

       WHEREAS, In contrast to civilian society, the military operates under a unique set of rules in order to maintain discipline, to ensure unit cohesion, and to achieve military objectives; and

       WHEREAS, Given the nature of the conflicts in which the United States currently is engaged, it is important for the military to refrain from appearing to give preference to the practitioners of any particular religion; and

       WHEREAS, The United States armed forces nonetheless must respect the constitutionally guaranteed religious and free speech rights of those who serve in the military, as those individuals frequently are isolated from their religious communities and lack opportunities for extended personal religious exercise; and

       WHEREAS, Officers of the United States Military are sworn to support and defend the Constitution of the United States; and

       WHEREAS, Participation in religious services offered by the military is voluntary, and those who choose not to attend are not punished; and

       WHEREAS, Recent egregious events give reasons for concern that Christianity has been unfairly targeted within the military, as demonstrated in the following examples:

       (1) In 2012, a United States Army Reserve equal opportunity training brief expressly listed Catholicism and Evangelical Christianity as examples of religious extremism alongside such groups as Al Qaeda, Hamas, and the KKK;

       (2) The United States Military Academy's Combating Terrorism Center released a study linking pro-lifers to terrorism;

       (3) The Bible has been purged from Air Force Inn checklists;

       (4) President Obama issued a signing statement with the National Defense Authorization Act in which the President implied that some views are more important to be protected than the moral conscience of Christians in the military;

       (5) The Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office removed a reference to God in its logo on its official patch;

       (6) At the national cemetery in Houston, Texas, Christian prayers were prohibited at funeral services for military veterans;

       (7) Distribution of Bibles was banned at Walter Reed Army Medical Center; and

       (8) Catholic chaplains were prohibited from reading a letter to parishioners from their archbishop regarding the Department of Health and Human Services contraception mandate; and

       WHEREAS, The military should not penalize or prevent one military member's religious expression simply because it offends another military service member who is equally entitled to the free exercise of religion; now therefore be it

       RESOLVED, That we, the members of the Ohio House of Representatives, urge the United States Department of Defense to utilize calm and prudent judgment in balancing the religious and free speech rights of military service members against the need to preserve military effectiveness; and be it further

       RESOLVED, That we urge the United States Congress to take action to protect and uphold the religious freedom of military service members as stated in the United States Constitution and the United States Department of Defense Handbook; and be it further

       RESOLVED, That the Clerk of the House of Representatives transmit duly authenticated copies of this resolution to the Speaker and Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives, the Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States Senate, the members of the Ohio Congressional delegation, the United States Secretary of Defense, and the news media of Ohio.