ASHINGTON, June 26 — Lawmakers, saying they were outraged and flabbergasted by the federal court decision that deemed unconstitutional a reference to God in the Pledge of Allegiance, today quickly professed their own unwavering allegiance to the version approved by Congress 48 years ago.
With what was lightning speed for their chamber, senators voted 99 to 0 just hours after the ruling to express their strong disagreement with the decision and to authorize their counsel to intervene in the case. The majority leader, Tom Daschle, Democrat of South Dakota, branded the decision "just nuts" and asked all senators to be present on Thursday morning for the recitation of the pledge.
"We have been drawn together in the face of tremendous tragedy in the last nine months and in part that healing process has come by our belief in a supreme being," Mr. Daschle said.
As the Senate voted, Speaker J. Dennis Hastert led dozens of House members gathered on the steps of the Capitol in a recitation of the pledge followed by a spontaneous rendition of "God Bless America."
The White House spokesman, Ari Fleischer, said the decision "does not sit well with the president of the United States" and that the Justice Department would fight it.
Members of both parties, not wanting the opposition to get the upper hand in defending the pledge, condemned the ruling in a blitz of news releases and a parade of speeches. But Republicans also saw an opening to criticize Senate Democrats for not moving more quickly to approve President Bush's judicial nominees.
"This highlights what the fight over federal judges is all about," said the Senate minority leader, Trent Lott, Republican of Mississippi, at a news conference. Senator Lott said that Democrats had mounted the greatest resistance to nominations to appellate courts like the one in San Francisco. "We do need to put judges on there that wouldn't render this kind of decision," he said.
The House campaign organization for Republicans circulated a memorandum urging lawmakers to call on school boards to ignore the decision and to point out that the "liberal" Senator Daschle and Senate Democrats are holding up Bush judicial nominees.
Democrats responded by noting that the decision was written by a judge appointed by a Republican president, Richard M. Nixon. "This has nothing to do with current judicial appointments," said a spokeswoman for Senator Daschle.
Senator Robert C. Byrd, Democrat of West Virginia, said he was the only current member of Congress who was in the House on June 7, 1954, when the words "under God" were added to the pledge. "I hope the Senate will waste no time in throwing this decision back in the face of these stupid judges," Mr. Byrd said. "That's what they are, stupid."
"I hope that these judges' names never come before this Senate while I am a member for any promotion," he said. "They will be remembered."
The tumult over the pledge, which is recited daily with an opening prayer when the House and Senate meet, came as Congress was trying to resolve several significant issues in a race to complete work before the Fourth of July recess. But the uproar over the court decision eclipsed most other activities and the Senate stopped its debate on a defense bill to consider the pledge resolution introduced jointly by Senators Daschle and Lott.
Lawmakers called for the decision to be reversed either by the full appellate court or the Supreme Court. Several said that regardless of the legal outcome, Congress should move forward with a Constitutional amendment or new legislation making the words "under God" part of the pledge.
"It is time for Congress and the president to stand up to courts that have arrogated so much power to themselves," said Representative Joseph R. Pitts, Republican of Pennsylvania. "Ultimately the very survival of democracy in this country will depend on it."
Representative Nita M. Lowey, Democrat of New York, called the decision misguided. "At a time when our troops are overseas in harm's way and our nation is under attack, the words of the pledge hold even more significance."
Senator Sam Brownback, Republican of Kansas, said, "This ruling is not only out of step with the Constitution and the founding principles of this nation, but is offensive to most Americans."