LEGISLATIVE UPDATE - WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 10, 2006
HOUSE IN SESSION / SENATE IN SESSION
THE SENATE
SUPREME COURT JUSTICE ALITO
Some of those great red T-shirts purchased for the volunteers working for Judge Samuel Alito during the confirmation hearings were just found. Pictured at left is our own Peggy Birchfield just outside the Senate hearing room where the Alito hearings took place. The shirts were actually designed and distributed by our sister organization, the Religious Freedom Action Coalition. One of the boxes of shirts containing some large and extra large was never opened and I don't want them to go to waste. To help defray the costs of the Alito campaign the Religious Freedom Action Coalition is now making the leftover shirts available for a donation of just $20.00 including shipping and handling. These will not last long! The RFAC actually had several e-mail's asking if there were any extras left. The RFAC has set up a special one item Internet store to sell the shirts that will be taken down the minute the last one ships out. Click here for more information.
THE HOUSE
DEFENDING THE PLEDGE
This week we began delivering petitions to congressmen in support of the Pledge Protection Act. The first deliveries were to Republicans who have not signed on as co-sponsored of Congressman Todd Akin's bill to protect "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance to our flag. Several congressmen or their Legislative Directors agreed to meet with us. Even if we do not have the opportunity to meet directly with a congressman the petitions were delivered to his office with a cover letter explaining the legislation and asking them to co-sponsor. Most of those we are dealing with this week are new to Congress and have been eager to meet with us. This does not mean that we do not want Democratic support. This is not a political issue, it is a social issue and next week we begin delivery petitions to the offices of newly elected Democrats as we feel we may be able to move them a bit faster than the old hard liners that have been in Congress for years.
Success: Sometimes not signing onto a popular bill such as the Pledge Protection Act is just an oversight. In looking over the list of co-sponsors I noticed that my old friend Congressman Tom Tancredo (R-CO) had not as yet signed on as a co-sponsor although he had done so in the 108th Congress. When I called his office he was out of town but his Legislative Director, Mac Zimmerman was eager to talk with me. When I told him Congressman Tancredo was not yet listed as a co-sponsor he was surprised and said it was an oversight by their office. As soon as we were off the phone he called Congressman Todd Akin's office to inform them to add Congressman Tancredo as a co-sponsor. As a side note Congressman Tancredo is under heavy attack from the business community and liberal activists because of his stance against illegal immigration. The Wall Street Journal has attacked him both in editorials and in front page articles. Illegals keep the general wage structure in the United States lower. If all the illegals were not here the average wage in the United States would rise by $2 to $3 per hour and millions of people would be taken of the unemployment and welfare rolls. The way things are big business gets cheap labor and American workers pay higher taxes for millions of their fellow citizens to stay home.
INTERNATIONAL
CARTOONS, ISRAEL AND THE JIHAD
According to the high Holy Man of Iran the riots of Muslims worldwide over a simple cartoon in a Danish newspaper is the fault of Israel. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that the cartoon depiction of Mohammed was placed in the Danish newspaper as Jewish revenge for the election of HAMAS in the Palestinian territories. Hmmmm ... The cartoon appeared in September of 2005 and the election was in January of 2006. Nothing associated with Islam has much to do with logic so this actually makes sense to me. Meanwhile in Islamic nations vile cartoons appear about Jews and Christians in newspapers almost daily. (Click here for cartoons) Here is the reality: Mullahs violated their own religion by printing copies of the cartoons depicting Mohammed and distributing them in radical mosques for the sole purpose of infighting violence. (Click here for or Washington Times editorial) A Newsday columnist, James Pinkerton, did an exemplary job of defining the difference in the Islamic and Western cultures that caused the riots. Click here for the Pinkerton column.
MEANWHILE: Since Israel withdrew for the Gaza Strip more than 300 Kassam rockets have been fired into Israel. One woman was killed in a recent attack and a Kindergartner child received sever injury to his head. There have been a number of sniper attacks as well as knife attacks on Israeli civilians leaving several dead and severally wounded. (Click here for 2005 terror attack summary.) Various Western newspapers have apologized for being insensitive to Muslims and others now understand that they may not criticize Islam without fear of violent reprisals. The same newspapers don't even bother to report on the attacks against innocent civilians in Israel. My proof? Have you read about the Kassam rocket attacks in your newspaper?
RFC EVENTS
MARRIAGE
On Wednesday, RFC'S Peggy Birchfield participated in the Marriage Savers Panel Discussion in celebration of the signing of the 200th Community Marriage Policy in Las Cruces, New Mexico. The discussion entitled "Saving Marriages One Community at a Time" featured speakers; Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS), HHS Assistant Secretary for Children and Families Dr. Wade Horn, Rev. Scott Ruthven, and Marriage Savers co-founders Mike and Harriet McManus. Highlighting the Marriage Savers success in strengthening marriage through the Community 
Marriage Policy (CMP) comments were made on the benefits and how CMP has helped lower the divorce and cohabitation rates in more than 100 U.S. cities. The recent signing of the CMP in Las Cruces, New Mexico was organized by Rev. Scott Ruthven, stirred up controversy with Liberal Pastors who tried to sabotage the entire event. The pastors were on a "gay agenda" boycott and warned the Las Cruces Mayor not to participate in the efforts to building strong marriages. Though the Mayor was scared off, this did not stop the Pro-Marriage effort and the CMP was signed on January 21, 2006. By signing the CMP, pastors agree to implement six key reforms within their congregations. This commitment throughout the US has radically reduced divorce rates by 48%, strengthens existing marriages and provided support to step-families. Peggy questioned the panel of their plans for future in helping not just those seeking guidance in churches but as well as individuals that are not affiliated with a place to worship. The Community Marriage Policy has not only pastors but now Judges that have signed onto the CMP and committed themselves to help this growing program. RFC represents one of the many NGO groups that work to strengthen the traditional marriage.
William J. Murray, Chairman
Religious Freedom Coalition , PO Box 77511, Washington, DC 20013 - (202) 543-0300
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Religious Freedom Coalition * Copyright - 2006