Several Houston area veterans groups have filed suit against the Department of Veterans Affairs and the director of the Houston National Cemetery. They claim the cemetery director is censoring religious expression during funerals and other ceremonies.  One Houston Congressman wants the director fired.

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This started back before Memorial Day when a pastor who was to give the annual prayer at the National Cemetery was told he could not pray in Jesus' name.  A federal judge blocked the VA's attempt to censor him, and the two sides were back in court this week still trying to settle that issue.

It's reported that in addition to forbidding spoken and written religious terms and phrases in official ceremonies and even in funerals, Cemetery Director Arlene Ocasio has closed the chapel in the ceremonial pavilion.  It's been turned into a meeting room.  She also turned off the carillon bells that toll the time several times a day.

Veterans and their families aren't the only ones upset by all this. Two Houston area congressman are calling for a Congressional investigation. Congressman Ted Poe says Ocasio should be fired.

Congressman Michael McCaul says this is "religious hostility that violates the Constitution," and he can't believe something like this could happen.

 

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