LEGISLATIVE UPDATE - WEEK ENDING JULY 2, 2004
CONGRESS IN RECESS
THE PRESIDENCY
HILLARY BACK IN THE WHITE HOUSE?
The big buzz in Washington, DC this week is that Senator John Kerry has narrowed his search for a running-mate down to two people and one of those is Senator Hillary Clinton. The report has come from numerous sources including the usually reliable Drudge Report. To be very frank, I don't believe it. Hillary Clinton is just as far left as John Kerry. Her votes in the Senate are consistently for more taxes and more control of the people by big government. To win in November John Kerry needs a running-mate to bring the ticket back to the center, not take it further to the left. However, should Kerry pick Hillary and then lose the election in November it is a certainty that Hillary Clinton will be the Presidential candidate in 2008 for the Democrats.
Meanwhile there is good news for President George W. Bush. His approval ratings are climbing as the economy gets back into high gear. His approval ratings are about the same at this point in his presidency as were those of Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton and both were re-elected. However, all polls are still showing a dead heat between Bush and Kerry. There is a new factor also; at this point in previous election cycles there were large numbers of undecided voters, but today there are hardly any. The chances of President George W. Bush's reelection could hinge on the number of evangelical Christian voters who go to the polls in November. In 2000, so many evangelical Christians stayed home that Bush almost lost the election.
That is why, with the evangelical and conservative Catholic vote so important to George W. Bush, many of us in Washington thought it odd that the prime time speakers at the Republican Convention this year would be overwhelmingly pro-abortion "moderate" Republicans. The keynote speakers who are pro-abortion are California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, New York Governor George Pataki; New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg; former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Vice President Dick Cheney's wife, Lynne Cheney has not been a consistant social conservative. Bloomberg, Guiliani and Lynne Cheney are also "gay rights" supporters. Senator John McCain, another "moderate" will speak as well. The only real conservative I have seen on the list to speak so far is Georgia Democrat Senator Zell Miller who has crossed party lines to support President Bush.
THE SENATE
SAME SEX MARRIAGE
The vote in the Senate on the Federal Marriage Amendment will take place the week of July 12th -16th. The primary vote will be a "cloture vote" to stop the Democrat led filibuster against it. We will need 67 votes to break the filibuster and bring the FMA to the floor for a vote. We are not going to win.
The actual language of the FMA does not really matter at this point because we cannot win this vote in the Senate as the body is now constituted, with 49 Democrats. What does matter is to have Senators on the record as either for traditional marriage or for the gay agenda. The vote on the FMA will come just two weeks before the Democrat National Convention in Boston, Massachusetts, the only state which conducts "gay marriages." Democrat Senators will be forced to vote on the issue of same sex marriage in the middle of the hype for the Democrat convention. How will Senator John Kerry vote? I don't think he will vote at all. So far this year he has missed 88% of the votes held in the Senate, although he did fly back to Washington to cast a vote against the Unborn Victims of Violence Act in March of this year. (See PDF) It is now very important that members of the Senate hear from you on the issue of same sex marriage. Again, this is not the time to be concerned about the exact language of the FMA. What is important is that a vote is held and that Senators are forced to vote for or against traditional marriage. See Senate Target List! (PDF of target list click here)
THE HOUSE
NO MORE RUSH LIMBAUGH?
Congressman Sam Johnson (R-TX) was outraged to find out that Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) had slipped in, as an amendment to the 2005 Department of Defense Authorization bill, a provision that would effectively bar Rush Limbaugh's radio show from the Armed Forces Radio and Television Services. (AFRTS). Congressman Johnson stated, "The 2005 Defense Authorization bill is not the place for partisan games. We are in a time of war and Congress doesn't need to be meddling with the radio program listening habits of our troops." The congressman wants to make sure that the House version of the bill will not allow the Senate censorship to stay in it. Please contact your congressman with your concerns about the Harkin Amendment to the DoD Authorization bill.
INTERNATIONAL
WEST BANK BRIEFING ON CAPITOL HILL
On Tuesday, July 6, 2004 the Religious Freedom Coalition will present a program in the Dirksen Senate Office Building at 3:30 PM in room 562 on the persecution of Christians in the West Bank under the Palestinian Authority. Those in the area who wish to attend should contact us at events@rfcnet.org. Because of limited space it is required that you notify us in advance if you plan to attend.
WEST BANK VBS
The Vacation Bible School team has been ministering to children for the past two weeks in the Bethlehem - Beit Jala area of what the media refers to as the West Bank and what I call part of the Holy Land. Thanks to the generous gifts of supporters of the Religious Freedom Coalition all expenses were met. For a complete report on all the activities of the VBS team please click here. Also, We have received another shipment of the handmade soap produced by Christian families in the West Bank. There is now no delay in filling orders for the soap which is made from pure olive oil. The sale of this soap is the ONLY income of the Christian families involved. For more information on the soap, its cost and how we obtain it from the families in the West Bank click here.
WEST BANK DOCUMENTARIES
Working in the West Bank with Christian Palestinians is not new to the Religious Freedom Coalition. The RFC has supported Christian schools and kindergartens in the Bethlehem - Beit Jala area for many years. The RFC has also worked with and supported Christian evangelists winning Palestinians to Christ. The RFC has produced three video documentaries centered around Christians in the West Bank including Holy Land Teenagers which featured interviews of Christian, Jewish and Muslim teenagers. RFC video documentaries normally sell for $12.95 each; however, during the month of July you can obtain all three RFC video documentaries for just $25.00 shipping included. This represents a savings of almost $5.00 per video! This special is for July only! For information click here or on the image.
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William J. Murray, Chairman
Religious Freedom Coalition , P.O. Box 77511, Washington, DC 20013 Phone: (202) 543-0300
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Religious Freedom Coalition * Copyright - 2004