Religious Freedom Coalition - Promoting Religious Freedom and Family Based Legislation

November 9, 2007

Week Ending November 9, 2007 - Washington, DC

NEW: This e-mail is posted as a blog at MurrayOnTheHill.blogspot.com. You can post comments there!

THE PRESIDENT

PRESIDENT WINS ON HIS AG APPOINTMENT- The Senate majority leader, Senator Harry Reid, takes his marching orders directly from George Soros and MoveOn.org. He was given a clear directive that President Bush's nominee for Attorney General, retired judge Michael Mukasey, could not be confirmed unless he agreed that terrorists in custody would be treated better than the average gang member arrested in South Los Angeles. Using the issue of "water boarding," the nomination was blocked until President Bush told Senator Reid that if Judge Mukasey was not confirmed he would leave the post empty until the end of his term in office. Suddenly things changed and the President's AG nominee was confirmed this week by "unanimous consent." The presidency has tremendous power when there is a president willing to use it. Extremist billionaire George Soros is reportedly livid over the turn of events.

IRAQI CHRISTIAN REFUGEES - Both Father Keith Roderick of Christian Solidarity International and I continue to lobby members of the Senate and State Department staff to allow Iraqi Christian refugees to be interviewed directly by our embassies rather than the United Nations. The State Department continues the practice of using the United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees to "vet" refugees and determine which should be allowed to apply for asylum status with the USA. So far in 2007 the US has accepted less than 1,000 Iraqi refugees while Sweden, a much smaller nation, has accepted more than 20,000. (More under International)

THE HOUSE

HOUSE IN RECESS - The House is in recess to celebrate Veterans' Day and will return to session at 10:30 AM on Tuesday. There are 35 bills on the Suspension calendar including one by Congressman Zach Wamp (R-TN), H.R. 3315 - "To provide that the great hall of the Capitol Visitor Center shall be known as Emancipation Hall"

GAY SUPER RIGHTS BILL PASSES- This week the House passed ENDA, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which grants special rights to homosexuals. If signed into law this organization would be forced to hire homosexuals as would Christian radio and TV stations. All commercial religious enterprises including Christian and Jewish bookstores would be forced to hire homosexuals. Non-denominational Christian schools are covered under ENDA as well. The bill allows for trial lawyers to get huge sums of money based on "perceived" discrimination. That is, if a homosexual feels uncomfortable working at a Christian bookstore that was forced to hire him, he can then sue the store as well.

Although forced through by Democrat Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi some 25 Democrats voted "no." HOWEVER: Some 35 Republicans crossed over and voted for this bill that would give rights to homosexuals which other Americans do not have. (Click here for the party crossover vote list)

NATIONAL BIBLE WEEK - Congressman Bill Sali recently delivered a speech on the importance of National Bible Week. National Bible Week occurs this year during the week of Thanksgiving, November 18 to 25. When I am outside the Beltway I constantly hear hurtful criticism about congressmen. In reality there are many truly godly men in Congress. Government Is Not God- PAC of which I am chairman, helped to elect Bill Sali to Congress. Click here to view the video clip of his speech.

THE SENATE

NO FEDERAL ABORTION FUNDING- U.S. Senators Sam Brownback (R-KS) and David Vitter (R-LA) wrote a letter to Senator Tom Harkin, Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations calling for the suspension of federal funding for abortion. In their letter they stated, "We write to urge you to suspend funding in all future Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and Related Agencies Appropriations bills for organizations that promote abortion. While an amendment to this effect was not adopted in the U.S. Senate last month, we believe recent findings warrant such a suspension pending further investigation.

"One recipient of such funding is the Planned Parenthood Federation of America which receives more than $300 million in taxpayer funding each year. According to a 107-count complaint filed in Kansas' Johnson County District Court two weeks ago, Planned Parenthood is accused of performing illegal late-term abortions in violation of state law. It is also accused of falsifying documents and failing to comply with medical reporting requirements," said Brownback.

RELIGION AND CULTURE

SHORT UPDATE THIS WEEK - Our weekly update is shorter than usual and two days late. My attention was taken away from Congress this week by a situation concerning our work in the Middle East.

ALL NEW CHAIRMAN'S REPORT - The November 2, 2007 issue of the Chairman's Report is now available online. This all-new issue contains information on our fact finding mission to the Middle East. There are photos from the Mission as well as photo links. New Capitol Hill action as well. Click here for the new Chairman's Report.

INTERNATIONAL

IRAQI CHRISTIANS IN EXILE- Our fact finding team returned from the Middle East on October 24th and began to work on an official report of finding and recommendations concerning the hundreds of thousands of Christians who have fled Iraq. We believe the report will be ready for distribution by the middle of next week. You can find some of my initial impressions of the situation at : http://christianrefugees.blogspot.com/

HOW TO BEAT YOUR WIFE - Islamic expert on marital relations explains how to properly beat a wife. Click here for complete description.

THANKSGIVING AND CHRISTMAS GIFTS

THE PLEDGE - My most recent book, The Pledge: One Nation Under God, has been released and is now available online and at bookstores. The book has a forward by Congressman Todd Akin (R-MO) who is the primary sponsor of the Pledge Protection Act to keep "under God" in the Pledge. Please order The Pledge from the RFC bookstore, as the funds will be used to help fight to keep "under God" in the Pledge. Click here or on Image to learn more.

OUR CHRISTIAN INTERNET STORE - We have lots of great stuff for Thanksgiving and Christmas at our Internet store. Not only are there books and CD's, but everything from candy to jewelry and all of it has a Christian theme. Unlike Amazon and other major Internet stores we do not sell porn and satanic materials right beside Christian books. Ours is a real Christian store with tens of thousands of items. Please take a look. The store is located at www.rfcstore.com. Contributions to the work of the Religious Freedom Coalition can be made at www.rfcnet.org.

email: support@rfcnet.org

phone: 202.742.8990

web: http://www.rfcnet.org

William J. Murray, Chairman Religious Freedom Coalition, PO Box 77511, Washington, DC 20013 - (202) 742.8990 This publication is a service of the Religious Freedom Coalition (RFC). Links to political and other sites are for informational purposes and do not constitute endorsement. No statement is intended to assist or defeat any candidate running for public office. Religious Freedom Coalition * Copyright - 2007