The Associated Press website reports that a federal appeals court today (April 14, 2011) threw out a ruling that the National Day of Prayer is unconstitutional, and ordered that a lawsuit challenging President Barack Obama's right to proclaim the day be dismissed.
A three-judge panel of the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the Madison, Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation -- a group of atheists and agnostics that filed the lawsuit -- did not have standing to sue because while they disagree with the president's proclamation, it has not caused them any harm.
The American Center for Law and Justice -- which represented 67 members of Congress in defense of the prayer day -- praised the ruling. "This decision represents a victory for our nation's heritage and history," the group's attorney Jay Sekulow said in a statement.
Congress established the National Day of Prayer in 1952, and in 1988 set the first Thursday in May as the day for presidents to issue proclamations asking Americans to pray.
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