Federal Court Overturns Injunction against National Scout Jamboree; American Legion Hails Decision

INDIANAPOLIS (April 5, 2007) - The leader of the nation’s largest veteran’s organization hailed yesterday’s decision from the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago that dismissed the ACLU’s lawsuit against the Dept. of Defense for supporting the National Boy Scout Jamboree.

“This is a victory for not only the youth of our nation but also for the preservation of tradition and common sense,” said American Legion National Commander Paul A. Morin. “For more than 25 years, Boy Scouts have held the National Scout Jamboree every four years at Fort A.P. Hill near Fredericksburg, Va. for ten days of activities emphasizing physical fitness, appreciation of the outdoors, and patriotism. It is especially fitting that the Scouts will be able to go forward with the 2010 Jamboree as they celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America.”

In 1999 the ACLU sued DoD over its support for the Jamboree. In 2005, a federal district court in Chicago concluded the Jamboree statue was unconstitutional under the Establishment Clause because Scouting has a nonsectarian “duty to God” requirement. DoD appealed the district court’s injunction against military support under that statute for the 2010 Jamboree. The American Legion filed a “friend of the court” brief supporting the Dept. of Defense in Winkler v. Gates.

Seven Presidents have attended the Jamboree since President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1937. The Jamboree grounds at Fort A.P. Hill are open to the public and an estimated 300,000 visitors attended in 2005 along with 43,000 Scouts and their leaders. The U.S. Congress called it an incomparable training opportunity for our armed forces; it requires the construction, maintenance, and disassembly of a “tent city” capable of supporting tens of thousands of people for a week or longer.

“Patriotism and mentoring youth are pillars of The American Legion,” Morin said. “When Scouts have the opportunity to interface with members of the finest military in the world, they acquire many of the leadership skills that will guide them throughout their lives.” The American Legion is one of the nation’s largest sponsors of scouting units across the country.

Media Contacts: Joe March, (317) 630-1253; Cell (317) 748-1926 or Ramona Joyce, 202/263-2982; Cell, 202-445-1161. This text and a high-resolution photo of Cmdr. Morin can be downloaded at www.legion.org.

Senate Passes Iraq Surrender Provision,
American Legion Urges Presidential Veto

Washington, DC (March 28, 2007) - The National Commander of The American Legion criticized an amendment narrowly passed by the U.S. Senate that would add a timeline of withdrawal to an Iraq spending bill.

“You don’t have to be a military strategist to understand the advantage a withdrawal date gives to the enemy,” Paul A. Morin said. “First the House passed a blueprint for disaster and now the Senate passes a recipe for surrender.”

Morin called on the president to honor his promise to veto legislation that includes timetables to withdraw from Iraq. “The American Legion supports the troops. You cannot support the troops if you want them to cut and run. Congress authorized Operation Iraqi Freedom, now it needs to let the troops finish the job.”

Morin pointed out that Congress cut off funding in Vietnam, even though the troops won every military battle. “Let’s not repeat the mistakes of the past. The American people need to support the troops and their commander in chief, even if Congress won’t.”

The Senate voted 50-48 for the provision containing the withdraw requirement, which was supported by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-NV. Reid did not seem willing to compromise with the White House, saying that he is “not anxious to strip anything out of the bill.”

Morin added that the United States has only one commander in chief. “The American people did not elect 535 legislators to be armchair generals. It is outrageous that Congress would leave our troops on the battlefield without the funding that they need. It’s time for the president to veto this surrender bill and for Congress to pass a serious war-funding bill, which would provide the money without the micro-management. I call on my fellow Legionnaires to let their senators and representatives know where we stand on this war.”