HOUSE IN SESSION / SENATE IN RECESS

THE SENATE

FEDERAL MARRIAGE AMENDMENT

Hearings have been scheduled in the Senate Judiciary's sub-committee on the Constitution for next week to hear testimony on the Musgrave / Allard language. Senator Wayne Allard (R-CO) introduced language in the Senate identical to that of Congresswoman Marilyn Musgrave (R-CO). A vote in both the sub-committee on the Constitution and the full Judiciary Committee is "hoped for" by April. The Judiciary Committee chairman, Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT), may introduce an alternative marriage amendment along the states rights lines. As I understand it his amendment would allow any state to do what they wanted on the same sex issue, but no other state would be forced to recognize a same sex marriage. Those interested in a viable constitutional amendment to protect traditional marriage should contact members of the Senate Judiciary Committee now. I can assure you they are receiving calls, letters and faxes from the homosexual community on a daily basis. If you are in the Washington, DC area you too can attend the hearings. The hearings will be held in Room 325 of the Russell Senate Office Building at 10:00 AM, Tuesday, March 23rd.

UVVA - LACI AND CONNORS LAW

The Senate will vote on The Unborn Victims of Violence Act (S-1019) on March 22, 2004. On February 26, 2004 the UVVA passed the House 254 to 163, with a 91 vote margin. In the previous session of Congress the bill passed the House with an 80 vote margin. This is a simple law which makes it a crime to kill or injure an unborn child while committing a crime against the mother. Pro-abortionists hate this bill because it elevates the legal status of a "fetus." Previous attempts to pass the bill in the Senate have failed and this year there will be a no-holds-barred attempt to derail the bill by Democrat leaders once again in the Senate. Senator Diane Feinstein (D-CA) will offer an amendment to the bill which says that a woman and the child she is carrying combined is only one person. It is not that Diane Feinstein is stupid -- she knows there are two people involved -- it is just that she is under the total control of the abortion industry lobby. Her amendment must fail. A second amendment by Senator Patty Murray could be dangerous as well. Murray will offer a "domestic violence" amendment that will creat a huge federal tax giveaway to traditional left-wing groups to "protect" woman. The texts of the Feinstein and Murray amendments  Senate Amendments 2858 and 2859, respectively  can be found in the Congressional Record (3/12/04) S2804-21.

LOST AT SEA

A few weeks ago I mentioned that the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN) was trying to push the Law of the Sea Treaty (LOST) forward. Under LOST the United States could not board boats of drug dealers or terrorists on the high seas. In addition, our private companies would be forced to furnish their sea mining technology free to third world nations. The United States would have to pay the United Nations a tax for mining operations including oil exploration within just a few miles of our coast. It is believed that narrow interest groups influenced the White House to back Senator Lugar in promoting the treaty. Democrats of course love LOST because it surrenders American sovereignty to a United Nations agency. Sources I cannot name in the Senate have told me that LOST will never see the light of day. LOST is not in the best interests of the United States and conservative Senators will kill it. It will not even reach the floor. (See WND article for details.)

THE HOUSE

ISSUE UPDATES

First Amendment Restoration Act (HR 3801) introduced by Congressman Bartlett (R-MD) now has nearly 40 co-sponosrs including 2 democrats. The bill will undo some of the damage done to the Constitution by the Campaign Reform Act and the Supreme Court. The Campaign Reform Act forbids organizations such as ours from doing issue advertising within 60 days of a general election. In other words, we cannot buy a newspaper ad after September 9th stating that John Kerry supports abortion on demand and that George W. Bush doesn't. If issue oriented organizations cannot advertise on their issues during an election we do not have true freedom of speech in the United States. If you feel strongly about this issue please contact your congressman and ask him to co-sponsor HR 3801.

Constitution Restoration Act (HR 3799) introduced by Congressman Aderholt (R-AL) has not made much progress since I first mentioned it. The bill would strip federal courts of their power to remove religious symbols from public property among other things. The bill is the brain child of Judge Roy Moore. The Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Republican congressman James Sensenbrenner, does not believe in limiting the power of the courts of this nation. As a result he has not scheduled this legislation or other bills like it for hearings in his committee. If you have an opinion on the congressman's position with this regard please e-mail him at sensenbrenner@mail.house.gov.

Marriage Protection Act (HR 3313) introduced by Congressman Hostettler (R-IN) now has 24 co-sponosrs. We understand that House Judiciary Chairman Sennsenbrenner who had been blocking this bill as well as the Federal Marriage Amendment has now agreed to hearings beginning March 30th. This bill will be discussed at the hearings along with Federal Marriage Amendment. Thank you for contacting Congressman Sensenbrenner!

Houses of Worship Free Speech Restoration Act (HR 235 ) introduced by Congressman Walter Jones (R-NC) is quietly gaining steam. HR 235 would restore freedom of political speech to churches which was stripped from them by Lyndon Baynes Johnson while he was in the Senate in the 1950's. Until then a pastor could get behind a pulpit and say exactly what he thought of a politician who was a drunk and a womanizer -- that is precisely why Lyndon Johnson wanted them shut up. There is now movement to add the language of HR 235 to one of the 13 annual appropriations bills that keep the government running. (This is the same procedure Johnson used to silence preachers.)

SAME SEX MARRIAGE

Congressman Tim Bishop (D-NY) wants to let everyone know where he stands on the issue of "gay marriage." Congressman Bishop led a "commitment ceremony" for Dr. Charles Guy Hitchcock a professor at the College of Long Island and his "partner," interior decorator H. David Wilt. (I bet I can figure out which one plays the girl.) The announcement appeared in Section 9, page 17, column 1 of the Society Page of the New York Times on March 14, 2004. There seems to be no mention of the event on the congressman's Internet site. In his official biography Congressman Bishop claims to be Catholic. There was no mention of the congressman's wife Kathy, being present at the "ceremony."

INTERNATIONAL

KOSOVO - THE END OF CHRISTIANITY

In the last 72 hours thousands of Christians have been burned out of their homes in Kosovo. At least a dozen churches have been destroyed. Previously I reported on the destruction of churches in Kosovo and the ethnic cleansing of Christians. (See www.kosovo.com) President Bill Clinton began the campaign to form a Muslim terrorist state in Europe during the Monica Lewinski affair. Many of us in Washington call the war against the Serbs in 1999 "Monica's War." Clinton promised a 'multi-ethnic" state in Kosovo at the end war against Serbia. Since we and the UN took over Kosovo 250,000 Christians have been forced out of Kosovo and more than 125 churches have been destroyed. Now the Albanian Muslims are trying to finish off what few Christians remain. The reaction of the United Nations has been to send troops to protect Mosques in case any Christians try to retaliate. President George W. Bush is more or less stuck with the policy handed to him by Bill Clinton. The Administration and Congress do not want to "anger" the Muslim world by overtly protecting the Christians of Kosovo who have lived there for more than 1,100 years.

MOROCCO TRIP PHOTOS

A gallery of some of the photos from our fact finding trip to Morocco and Israel is now online. As time permits more will be added so please check back. Photos from the Christian school we support in the West Bank are now online as well. Click here to see photos.

EASTER

THE LAST SUPPER

Easter about cute fuzzy bunnies or the Salvation of mankind? When I visit the homes of some Christians during the Easter season it is hard to tell. In my home we display a plaque of the Last Supper etched in Jerusalem stone. In the past the RFC has offered Jerusalem stone plaques of the Ten Commandments. Because of their popularity several new items, many suitable for Easter have been added to the Holy Land section of our Internet store. Funds from the sale of these Jerusalem stone items supports the work of the Religious Freedom Coalition.

To assist us in our work with credit card gifts click here!

William J. Murray, Chairman - Religious Freedom Coalition

Please address all comments and questions to support@rfcnet.org.

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