22 Congressmen Hate Christmas

This year's "War for Christmas" – keeping "Christ" in the holiday has apparently been won. And, like many "wars," there has even been a Congressional resolution in support of keeping Christmas alive and well.

On December 15 the House of Representatives passed a resolution "protecting the symbols and traditions of Christmas" by an overwhelming 401-22 vote.

Representative JoAnn Davis (R-VA), the resolution's sponsor, said the resolution was necessary to counter "political correctness run amok."

"No one," she said, "should feel like they have done something wrong by wishing someone a Merry Christmas."

Twenty-two Democrats played Scrooge and disagreed.

Representative Robert Scott (D-VA) said Republicans were more concerned with the symbolism rather than the substance of Christmas – referring to Republican passage of a bill to slow the rate of growth in federal entitlement programs.

Davis lodged a preemptive response to critics who might question the constitutionality of her resolution.

"Celebrating Christmas is not a violation of separation of church and state," she said. "The Framers intended that the First Amendment to the Constitution would prohibit the establishment of religion, not prohibit any mention of religion or reference to God in civic dialogue."

The text of the resolution read as follows:

Whereas Christmas is a national holiday celebrated on December 25; and
Whereas the Framers intended that the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States would prohibit the establishment of religion, not prohibit any mention of religion or reference to God in civic dialog: Now, therefore be it resolved, that the House of Representatives –

(1) Recognizes the importance of the symbols and traditions of Christmas;
(2) Strongly disapproves of attempts to ban references to Christmas;
and
(3) Expresses support for the use of these symbols and traditions, for those who celebrate Christmas.

As the Christmas season draws to a close, we thought we would share the names of the 22 Congressman who voted against the pro-Christmas resolution:

Congressman Party-State District

Ackerman D-NY 5th

Blumenauer D-OR 3rd

Capps D-CA 23rd

Cleaver D-MO 5th

DeGette D-CO 1st

Harman D-CA 36th

Hastings D-FL 23rd

Honda D-CA 15th

Lee D-CA 9th

Lewis D-GA 5th

McDermott D-WA 7th

Miller, George D-CA 7th

Moore D-WI 4th

Moran D-VA 8th

Payne D-NJ 10th

Rush D-IL 1st

Schakowsky D-IL 9th

Scott D-VA 3rd

Stark D-CA 13th

Wasserman Schultz D-FL 20th

Wexler D-FL 19th

Woolsey D-CA 6th