Editor’s Note:
Representative John N. Hostettler (R-Indiana) Letter of Greeting – and Appreciation – to the The American Legion, Department of California 2005 Convention. The text of that letter follows:

 Rep. Hostettler is  principal sponsor of the Public Expression of Religion Act of 2005, H.R. 2679, which, if enacted into law, will withdraw the authority of judges to award attorney fees to the ACLU, or any other litigant, in Establishment Clause cases.

 The American Legion, pursuant to the mandate of Resolution 326, Preserve Mojave Desert Veterans Memorial, sponsored by the Department of California and adopted at the 2004 National Convention, strongly supports the Public Expression of Religion Act and urges all members, and all Americans, to contact Representatives and Senators to urge passage of this necessary reform.

 The response to Rep. Hostettler by California Department Commander for 2005-2006, Wayne Parrish, is also posted below.

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June 22, 2005

Commander Fred Walton
The American Legion
Department of California
401 Van Ness Ave., Room 117
San Francisco, CA 94102

Dear Commander Walton,

 Greetings to you and to the American Legion Department of California. First of all, let me thank you and your members for wearing the uniform of this great republic’s military and defending our lives and precious liberties, and thank you for the constant and dedicated service you continue to provide to this nation. As the nation’s largest veterans organization, I value your position on legislative issues, because I know that many of your members fought for the rights of all our citizens. I greatly admire your resolute support of the Flag Amendment, which passed the House this week with my support by a vote of 286-130. I am hopeful that the Senate will pass this amendment, and I know that the American Legion is dutifully informing Senators of how important this amendment is, not only to servicemen and women, but to the general public, as well.

 I am also very appreciative of the American Legion’s – especially the Department of California’s – work to protect religious liberty in this country. Thank you for your vocal support of my bill, H.R. 2679, the Public Expression of Religion Act. Your support of this legislation has been unmatched by any other organization, and is invaluable to the cause of preserving the ability of our nations’ citizens to freely profess our religious beliefs in the public sphere.

 God bless you for your service to this nation, past, present, and future, and I hope that your convention is a great success.

   Sincerely,

   /s/ John N. Hostettler
   Member of Congress


Editors Note:
Copy of actual letter displayed below:

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Editors Note:
The response to Rep. Hostettler by Wayne Parrish, California State Commander is shown below:

July 1, 2005

Honorable John N. Hostettler    
Member of Congress
8th District, Indiana
1214 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515

The American Legion, Department of California Strongly Supports
H.R. 2679: Public Expression of Religion Act (PERA)

Dear Congressman Hostettler:

 I write to thank you for your letter of greetings to the 87^th Convention of The American Legion, Department of California, held in Palm Springs, CA, June 23-26, 2005. Your words of greeting, recognition of the military service rendered by our American Legion members, and the continuing service to America by veterans in The American Legion, are greatly appreciated.

 We are gratified, further, by your recognition of our strong support for the Public Expression of Religion Act of 2005, H.R. 2679. I want you to know how much we veterans in the American Legion appreciate your leadership and service to the nation in sponsoring H.R. 2679.

 As you are aware, American Legion Resolution 326, “Preserve Mojave Desert Veterans Memorial,” sponsored and initiated by the Department of California, was adopted at our National Convention in 2004 by unanimous vote of delegates representing 2.7-million members. It calls on Congress to amend the Civil Rights Attorney Fees Act of 1976, 42 U.S.C. Section 1988, to end the authority of courts to award attorney fees, or damages, in Establishment Clause cases brought to remove or destroy symbols of our American religious history and heritage. You have done just that in sponsoring H.R. 2679, and we greatly appreciate your courageous leadership and service to the nation in doing so.

 I assure you we will continue to stand with you in support of H.R. 2679. Working for enactment of the Public Expression of Religion Act of 2005, and ending the exploitation of benevolently intended federal Civil Rights and other statutes for profit at the expense of taxpayers by certain special interests, is a cause from which the American Legion, Department of California, will not retreat until victory is won for the American people.

Respectfully,

Wayne Parrish

/s/ Wayne Parrish
California State Commander
The American Legion

CC: Thomas P. Cadmus, National Commander, The American Legion

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