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Politics

Congress Takes Another Crack At Mt. Soledad War Memorial Cross

Navy Veteran Jim Wall climbs the stairs at Mt. Soledad on February 15th, 2014.
Nicholas McVicker
Navy Veteran Jim Wall climbs the stairs at Mt. Soledad on February 15th, 2014.

One of the nation's longest-running church-state conflicts could be nearing a conclusion.

As part of a bill setting defense policy, Congress would authorize the defense secretary to transfer a scenic parcel of federal land in the La Jolla section of San Diego to a private group — the Mount Soledad Memorial Association.

The parcel contains a memorial to the nation's veterans and a 43-foot-high cross that federal courts have determined is an unconstitutional effort by the government to endorse a religion.

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The federal government has owned the land since 2006 when Congress stepped in to acquire the parcel from the city, which was facing court-ordered fines.

Still, after more than 25 years of litigation, nobody familiar with the dispute will be surprised if this latest effort falls short.