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Md. Congressman To Announce Funeral Protest Bill

TIMONIUM, Md. (AP) -- Maryland Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger says he plans to introduce legislation to prevent protests during military funerals. 

The Baltimore County congressman says the bill is in response to a recent Supreme Court decision that funeral protests are permitted under the First Amendment. 

Ruppersberger says the bill seeks to allow groups like the Westboro Baptist Church to exercise their right to free speech without disrupting funerals or forcing funeral participants to encounter protesters. 

Ruppersberger plans to announce the bill Tuesday at the Linthicum Veterans Memorial in Linthicum. 

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

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