Capitol Hill move backed for prayer in US schools

May 21, 1981

A new coalition of conservative political and religious activists vows to fight to return prayer to schools, saying a majority of the Senate Judiciary Committee supports such legislation.

The new group -- Project Prayer --is endorsing a prayer bill proposed by Sen. Jesse A. Helms (R) of North Carolina and Rep. Phillip M. Crane (R) of Illinois. The bill would limit jurisdiction of federal courts, including the Supreme Court , in school prayer matters. It essentially would allow each state to write its own laws on prayers in public schools.