Republicans are demanding that "God" be returned to the flag certificates mailed out.
More than 100,000 requests from constituents request flags flown over the US Capitol.
Along with the flags are certificates which state that the flag was indeed so flown "in honor of (name) and his dedication and love of God, country and family.
" The "architect" of certificates, per The Washington Times' Audrey Hudson, has omitted "God" from the certificates, doing so without permission from anyone.
"Rep.
Michael R.
Turner of Ohio said one of his constituents, Paul Larochelle, recently requested to receive a flag that had flown over the Capitol.
Mr.
Larochelle's son had hoped to present the flag and the accompanying certificate to his grandfather, an Army veteran.
"The Larochelles wanted the certificate's inscription to read, in part: 'In honor of my grandfather, Marcel Larochelle, and his dedication and love of God, country and family.
' However, when the flag and the certificate arrived at Mr.
Turner's office from the architect of the U.
S.
Capitol's office, which handles the Capitol flag program, the word 'God' had been eliminated.
"Mr.
Turner said he requested an explanation from the architect's office, which cited one of its 14 Flag Office Services rules.
The rule states, '...
religious expressions are not permitted on flag certificates.
'" Bogus.
Republican Representatives complained to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that the "architect" had no authority by which to cross out "God.
" "'This is an abuse of power, plain and simple.
Using the nonpartisan position of maintaining the Capitol to decide what citizens can have written on their flag certificates is unacceptable," a Representative stated.
"Stephen T.
Ayers has been acting architect of the U.
S.
Capitol since February, when his predecessor, Alan M.
Hantman, retired.
Mr.
Ayers' spokeswoman was unavailable for comment yesterday.
"The lawmakers are asking Mrs.
Pelosi, California Democrat, to review the authority under which the architect's office made the rules and that the policy 'which censors our citizens' right to expressions of their faith' be reversed.
"They also point out that as the custodian of the Capitol, the architect is responsible for a building inscribed with many religious references, including 'In God We Trust' in the House and Senate chambers.
"'The architect's policy is in direct conflict with his charge as well as the scope of his office and brings into question his ability to preserve a building containing many national religious symbols,' the lawmakers stated.
" Pelosi's office responded by saying the matter will be cleared up.
And how? It is proposed by Democrats that the "architect" assure the recipient that the flag was in fact flown, then a member of Congress "could add the constituent's message separately.
" So, in other words, it could still remain that if the member of Congress guided the recipient in the direction of canceling out God, that in fact would happen.
More than 100,000 requests from constituents request flags flown over the US Capitol.
Along with the flags are certificates which state that the flag was indeed so flown "in honor of (name) and his dedication and love of God, country and family.
" The "architect" of certificates, per The Washington Times' Audrey Hudson, has omitted "God" from the certificates, doing so without permission from anyone.
"Rep.
Michael R.
Turner of Ohio said one of his constituents, Paul Larochelle, recently requested to receive a flag that had flown over the Capitol.
Mr.
Larochelle's son had hoped to present the flag and the accompanying certificate to his grandfather, an Army veteran.
"The Larochelles wanted the certificate's inscription to read, in part: 'In honor of my grandfather, Marcel Larochelle, and his dedication and love of God, country and family.
' However, when the flag and the certificate arrived at Mr.
Turner's office from the architect of the U.
S.
Capitol's office, which handles the Capitol flag program, the word 'God' had been eliminated.
"Mr.
Turner said he requested an explanation from the architect's office, which cited one of its 14 Flag Office Services rules.
The rule states, '...
religious expressions are not permitted on flag certificates.
'" Bogus.
Republican Representatives complained to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that the "architect" had no authority by which to cross out "God.
" "'This is an abuse of power, plain and simple.
Using the nonpartisan position of maintaining the Capitol to decide what citizens can have written on their flag certificates is unacceptable," a Representative stated.
"Stephen T.
Ayers has been acting architect of the U.
S.
Capitol since February, when his predecessor, Alan M.
Hantman, retired.
Mr.
Ayers' spokeswoman was unavailable for comment yesterday.
"The lawmakers are asking Mrs.
Pelosi, California Democrat, to review the authority under which the architect's office made the rules and that the policy 'which censors our citizens' right to expressions of their faith' be reversed.
"They also point out that as the custodian of the Capitol, the architect is responsible for a building inscribed with many religious references, including 'In God We Trust' in the House and Senate chambers.
"'The architect's policy is in direct conflict with his charge as well as the scope of his office and brings into question his ability to preserve a building containing many national religious symbols,' the lawmakers stated.
" Pelosi's office responded by saying the matter will be cleared up.
And how? It is proposed by Democrats that the "architect" assure the recipient that the flag was in fact flown, then a member of Congress "could add the constituent's message separately.
" So, in other words, it could still remain that if the member of Congress guided the recipient in the direction of canceling out God, that in fact would happen.
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