The District Court entered an order modifying that policy to permit only nonsectarian, nonproselytizing prayer.

The amendment posited a positive right to permit prayer on "public property, including public schools".

In contrast, there was a strong majority in support of a constitutional amendment "that would permit organized prayer to be said in the public schools."

He rebuked efforts to finance abortion and called for a constitutional amendment permitting organized prayer in school.

He says he is not against a proposed constitutional amendment permitting prayer in public schools.

He also has waged an aggressive campaign to defend a 1993 state law that permitted voluntary, student-led prayer in the schools.

The school district in that case had the temerity to permit student-led, student-initiated prayer before football games.

The state has since passed a law permitting "nonsectarian, nonproselytizing, student-initiated, voluntary prayer" at school events.

And 74 percent of the military group backed permitting prayer in public schools, compared with 46 percent of the civilian group.

There may also be a vote later in the year on a constitutional amendment that would permit organized prayer in public schools.