Lawmakers ask about prison libraries

Sat., Sept. 22, 2007

Religion News Service The Spokesman-Review

A group of conservative House Republicans has sent a letter to the Federal Bureau of Prisons seeking information about its effort to ban religious texts from prison libraries.

“No matter how well-intentioned, a government project to limit books and other material deemed religious raises serious issues with respect to the religious liberties of Americans,” reads the letter from three members of the Republican Study Committee.

The proposed ban is a response to a Justice Department report that recommended prisons should work to reduce the growth of militant Islamic and other religious groups.

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