LEGISLATIVE UPDATE - WEEK ENDING MARCH 4, 2005
HOUSE AND SENATE IN SESSION
CONGRESS
FREEDOM OF SPEECH FROM THE PULPIT
Congressman Walter Jones (R-NC) reintroduced the Houses of Worship Freedom of Speech Restoration Act, HR 235, on Wednesday, March 2nd. This is the third session in a row that Congressman Jones has introduced legislation that would allow religious leaders to speak freely from the pulpit on the moral and political issues of the day. Pastors had the right to completely free speech in the pulpit until then Senator Lyndon Baines Johnson changed the tax code in the 1950's to stop pastors in Texas from citing his womanizing and drunkenness during one of his reelection bids. The Religious Freedom Coalition believes this legislation is key to restoring the freedom of Religion in the United States that is being slowing chipped away by secular organizations such as the ACLU and by various federal courts. A Power Point and web version presentation on HR 235 is available at the RFC Internet site. A Senate version of HR 235 will be introduced by Senators Sam Brownback (R-KS) and Tom Coburn (R-OK)
CONSTITUTION RESTORATION ACT
Congressman Robert Aderholt (R-AL) reintroduced the Constitution Restoration Act, HR-1070, on Thursday, March 3rd. The bill would require federal courts to operate within the jurisdiction of the Constitution with regard to public acknowledgment of God. This is a jurisdiction act under Article III of the Constitution. Article III gives the Congress the power to set the jurisdiction of federal courts. In plain English the Congress has the right to tell federal courts what cases or issues they can and cannot decide. Congressman Aderholt's bill would restrict federal court jurisdiction in matters of the public display of the Ten Commandments, "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance, "In God We Trust" on our currency, etc. Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL) has introduced identical legislation in the Senate.
DISABLED PERSON'S LEGAL PROTECTION
Congressman Dave Weldon (R-FL) is preparing a bill to protect the rights and interests of individuals unable to speak for themselves in defending their own lives. The legislation is being prepared in light of what has happened in the Terry Schiavo case in the congressman's home state of Florida. He pointed out at a private meeting on Thursday that convicted capital felons who face the death penalty have numerous rights of appeal, independent counsel and effective legal representation, often paid for by the state. On the other hand there is no one to represent an unconscious person such as Terry Schiavo. In her case her parents are paying legal bills out of pocket to keep her alive, since a court has given her husband permission to end her life. A special update on the situation with her parents will be sent to you on Monday!
HOLLY'S LAW
Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) has reintroduced the RU-486 Suspension and Review Act or Holly's Law (Named after 18-year-old Holly Patterson who died in 2003 from an RU-486 drug-induced abortion.) The bill would force the FDA to remove the drug which has killed at least three women, including Holly, since its introduction in the United States. Because doctors frequently hide abortion related deaths the actual numbers the drug has killed may never be known. Under the Clinton Administration the FDA declared pregnancy a "life threatening illness" in order to give the drug to abortionists to kill babies. The other Senators co-sponsoring the bill are George Allen (R-VA), Sam Brownback (R-KS), Tom Coburn (R-OK), John Ensign (R-NV), Mike Enzi (R-WY), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Rick Santorum (R-PA) and David Vitter (R-LA). An identical bill will be introduced in the House by Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD).
SENATOR COBURN
Please note that Senator Tom Coburn, MD (R-OK) has been mentioned several times in the pro-family legislation mentioned above. On Thursday I had lunch with Senator Coburn and Senator Jim Inhofe who is also from Oklahoma. Both of the these fine men are dedicated to the cause of righteousness and to following in the footsteps of the Founders of this nation. Dr. Coburn, who served several terms in the House, has delivered thousands of babies and has a hands on knowledge of the value of human life. He stands as a shining example of what a United States Senator should be. GING-PAC, the political action committee of which I am also the chairman, supported Dr. Coburn in his bid to come to the United States Senate in 2004. Also mentioned above is Senator DeMint. He was another GING-PAC backed candidate. The old way of thinking is that Christians should not form PACs or get involved in politics ... Senator Tom Coburn would not be in the Senate today if we all still thought that way!
NATIONAL AFFAIRS BRIEFING
On Wednesday, March 2nd I spoke at the National & Local Affairs Briefing in New York City on the importance of Religious Freedom not only in the United States but as a strategic goal of our nation. My remarks are too lengthy to reprint here but are available in a PDF version. Click here to read.) Tony Perkins, the President of the Family Research Council and Rev. Duane Motley of New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms also spoke. Most of those in the room were pastors from the New York City area. The meeting was held in the City Room of King's College in the basement of the Empire State Building. King's College is a premier Christian college preparing young Christians for business, law and government in New York City.
SUPREME COURT
TEN COMMANDMENTS HEARING
On Wednesday, March 2nd the US Supreme Court heard arguments before it to determine if the Ten Commandments are so offensive that they must be removed from public property. The issue appears no longer to be about the religious nature of the Ten Commandments, but rather if they are offensive. Strip club owner Darrel Russelburg said that viewing the Ten Commandments on his way to being arraigned for abetting public indecency caused him "...irreparable harm for which there is no adequate remedy at law." How will the Court decide? This is hard to say since the Court no longer considers our Constitution but seeks advice through "international law." Just a few days earlier the Court using international law ruled that teen killers, even serial killers could not be executed. One of those who will get off death row as a result is sniper Lee Malvo who terrorized the Washington, DC area for weeks. One man was killed in 2002 at the Exxon station where my teenage daughter bought gas every week. Will he now spend life in jail for all these murders? I doubt it. Perhaps the Ten Commandments etched in stone over the heads of the Justices needs to be moved to an area of the Court where they have to look at it as they hear cases. (See stone Ten Commandment tablet)
INTERNATIONAL
UNITED NATIONS
On Thursday, March 3rd, UN delegates from more than thirty nations attended a private luncheon in the United Nations Building sponsored by the Religious Freedom Coalition, the Heritage Foundation, Concerned Women for America, Red Familia, the International Federation for Family Development and the Family Research Counsel. A presentation was given to the delegates showing clearly that marriage and family is the best option for women. Statistics were presented that clearly show that married women are better off socially and economically and as a result the institution of marriage should be exalted by the United Nations and not insulted. Among the nations represented at the luncheon by UN Delegates were Mexico, Guinea, Indonesia, St. Kitts and Nevis Islands, Gambia, Yemen, South Africa and Argentina; representatives from the European Union were also present. RFC Executive Director Peggy Birchfield is in New York City monitoring the activities during the Commission on the Status of Women which may vote on a declaration "for women" that could include the "right" to abortion and the "right" to prostitution. The United States delegation strongly opposes items it believes demean women. While in New York Peggy will continue to work on the Religious Freedom Coalition's two year old application to become a fully accredited NGO at the UN. If you believe a conservative NGO such as the Religious Freedom Coalition should be present and heard at UN events and hearings concerning abortion and other family issues, please assist us in our efforts.
WEST BANK
Over the past three weeks I have mentioned our April missions trip to the Holy Land and the need for funds for our various projects in the West Bank (Samaria). The total budget for our West Bank operation is $100,000 this year. So far we have raised about $10,000 in Internet contributions and about another $8,000 in direct mail solicitations. It costs the RFC a great deal of money to solicit funds by direct mail. The more funds we can raise for our West Bank (Samaria) projects on the Internet the less we have to pay for printing and postage to raise funds by mail We have about six weeks to raise the funds needed to meet our budget to help Christian families, schools and our evangelistic workers in Palestinian Authority areas. Please become a part of the effort by contributing just a small amount today. Just $5.00 or $10.00 will help us get to our goal! You can even arrange an automatic gift each month at our Internet site for continuing support.
Contributions to our West Bank (Samaria) projects can be made either by mail or online using a secure server. To contribute to this project by mail please send a check to:
Religious Freedom Coalition, PO Box 77511, Washington, DC 20013
Be sure to note on your check that the funds are for our April Holy Land Mission. Please give credit card donations online at: http://www.rfcnet.org/donate.html.
OLIVE OIL SOAP IS BACK!
As part of our ongoing support of Christian Palestinians we are still making available the handmade olive oil soap from Samaria. There is nothing made anywhere in the world like it and we receive many testimonies from people telling us how it has helped their complexions. There are entire Internet sites devoted to selling olive oil soap commercially with prices ranging up to three times our price of $4.99 a bar. One site sells olive oil soap from the Islamic nation of Jordan for $12.00 a bar! To learn more about this handmade olive oil soap click here.
DO THIS IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME (Luke 22:19)
Instead of plastic rabbits and colored eggs for Easter, why not adorn your home with an image of the Last Supper etched on a real Jerusalem stone plaque? This large 9" x 4.75" Jerusalem Stone plaque depicting the Last Supper is placed in a handsome gold frame and comes with a certificate of authenticity/gift card. Jerusalem Stone is a limestone material found in the areas between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, and between Galilee and Haifa. This stone was excavated by the Israelites as early as 1000 to 2000 B.C, and used to construct such historical, religious sites as the "City of Jerusalem" and "King Solomon's Temple". Today this treasured stone is still used in all modern construction within the city of Jerusalem. For more information please click here or on the image.
PLEASE TELL SOMEONE ABOUT THESE UPDATES
You are invited to forward copies of this Legislative Update to your friends. Please tell them it is issued weekly free of charge and that we do not share our e-mail lists with any other organizations. In 2005 we are praying to top the 100,000 subscribers mark and you can help. If this e-mail was forwarded to you, please subscribe at http://www.rfcnet.org/subscribe.asp .
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 - 2005