Week Ending May 12, 2006 - From Washington, DC
Religious Freedom Coalition
May 12, 2006 2:17PM EST

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE - WEEK ENDING MAY 12, 2006

HOUSE IN SESSION / SENATE IN SESSION

THE SENATE

CHILD CUSTODY PROTECTION

Senator John Ensign's (R-NV) Child Custody Protection Act (S-8) would prohibit minor girls from being transported across state lines by non-custodians for the purpose of having an abortion. There have been numerous cases in which adult men have taken underage girls to states that do not require parental notification to have abortions. In most of these cases statutory rape has occurred, but since abortion clinics refuse to report abortions done on underage girls, the perpetrators get away with it in most cases. Senator Ensign's bill has been assigned so much importance by Majority Leader Bill Frist that he placed it under "Rule 14," which allows him to bring it to the floor at anytime. Unfortunately there are Senators threatening to block the bill with a filibuster if Frist tries to take it to the floor. The issue should be forced. Let's take the bill to the floor and see who is willing to try a filibuster on an issue like this. Contact Majority Leader Frist and your own Senators to tell them if you would like to see the Child Custody Protection Act voted on before the November elections. (Click here for Senate contact information.)

REID AND CLINTON BLOCK HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN

Senate Republicans have finally come up with a good plan to help millions of Americans who are without health insurance, but Democrats Harry Reid and Hillary Clinton can only see an opportunity for themselves to grandstand and play politics. The health bill sponsored by Senator Michael Enzi (R-WY) seeks relief for the millions of workers who are employed by small businesses that cannot offer health benefits to their employees. Large corporations get huge price discounts from the insurance companies, discounts that are not available to small businesses or individuals. What a help it would be if small businesses could band together into large associations and purchase cheaper insurance as a group! This is exactly what the proposed legislation would allow and encourage.

So what's the objection? One big difficulty with forming such associations in the past has been that neither the insurance companies nor the small businesses could deal with the confusing array of different state laws about what must be covered, so an association that crossed state lines was not feasible. This bill basically says the insurance offered can be in simplified, uniform packages which do not have to conform to the laws of each state. Hillary Clinton and Harry Reid immediately vowed to block passage and painted a grim picture of "millions of women going without prescription contraception" -- maybe they forgot most of these women don't have ANY insurance as it is now. Senator Enzi pointed out that access to contraceptives is protected under federal rulings and said their accusations were "fear-mongering in its most transparent form." Still, Democrat leaders insist the bill is "a dangerous venture," and continue trying to block a final vote.

SENATOR BROWNBACK PUSHES FOR CLONING BAN

Two very socially liberal nations, Canada and France, have banned human cloning. In the United States, however, there is no such ban and researchers are actually demanding federal funding to clone. Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) is once again pushing to have the Human Cloning Prohibition Act (S-658) which he co-sponsors with Mary Landrieu (D-LA), passed in the Senate. Senators need to hear from concerned voters on the issue of cloning. If you have an interest in this legislation please contact your Senator.

THE HOUSE

MILITARY PRAYER PROTECTION

Congressman Walter Jones (R-NC) and Armed Service Committee Chairman Duncan Hunter want the military to stop editing the prayers of chaplains. It appears the political correctness began after 9-11, with fears that a Christian or Jewish chaplain might offend a Muslim. The Air Force is requiring chaplains to say "inclusive prayers" at public events. Duncan Hunter says this is wrong and he has placed Congressman Jones' legislation to protect the freedom of speech of chaplains into the massive Defense Authorization Bill. With Chairman Hunter's backing, the insertion of language protecting chaplains from any military discipline for their public prayers is virtually assured. (Click here for full story.)

IN GOD WE STILL TRUST

Congressman John. J Duncan (R-TN) is proposing legislation to celebrate and protect our national motto, "In God We Trust." July 30, 2006 will be the 50th anniversary of the signing by President Eisenhower on Public Law 84-140 making "In God We Trust" the official motto of the United States. For nearly 100 years before the enactment these words had appeared on our coins and had been our unofficial motto. With various lawsuits filed by the ACLU and nut case atheists such as Michael Newdow it is time to reaffirm the stand by Congress that "In God We Trust" is and will always be the motto of the United States of America. As soon as legislation is drawn and sufficient original sponsors are obtained full details of the new act will appear hear.

INTERNATIONAL

RFC STATUS AT UN "DEFERRED"

On Thursday, May 11th I spent the day in the United Nations building in New York working on official NGO "consultative status" for the Religious Freedom Coalition through the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC ). There are very few social conservative organizations that have such status at the United Nations and our application has been in suspense since 2004 for unexplained reasons. Soon after John Bolton was appointed as Ambassador to the United Nations by President George W. Bush he took an interest in our case and assigned a close aid of his to examine our situation. Within 60 days our file was moved to the proper committee which hears the applications. On the first hearing additional questions were ask in writing such as the Religious Freedom Coalition's definition of religion. All questions were answered and yesterday I went to the committee hearing myself. All documents must be translated into the six official languages of the United Nations. The Chinese delegation noted that only the English version had been provided. It was then discovered by the Secretariat that the translations of our original application could not be found and our application was deferred. The US delegate on the committee, Mariano Ceinos-Cox, took the occasion to tell the committee chairman that the improper handling of our documents was inexcusable. The Chinese and Russian delegations said they had additional questions to ask us, but could not until the proper translations were furnished. Peggy Kerry, the sister of presidential candidate Senator John Kerry is a career employee with the US Mission to the United Nations and she is assisted us with the NGO status committee.

WORLD CONGRESS OF FAMILIES

From May 5 -9 Peggy Birchfield, Executive Director of Religious Freedom Coalition, was in Warsaw, Poland to participate in a special planning committee meeting for the World Congress of Families IV. The RFC is a sponsor of this international forum for pro-family leaders, scholars and activists whose foremost goal is to preserve marriage and the traditional family. The next World Congress of Families has been set for May 11-13, 2007 in Warsaw, Poland. Three previous World Congresses were held in Prague (1997), Geneva (1999), and Mexico City (2004). Peggy joined representatives from several other nations to discuss preparations for the 2007 World Congress in Warsaw. The planning committee also discussed themes and speakers to be invited. Poland was selected for the fourth Congress because it is a bastion of faith and family values in Europe and may point the way to a pro-family renaissance across that continent. While in Warsaw, committee members met with Cabinet members of the Polish government and with Archbishop Jan Kazimierz Majdanski. They also toured the Palace of Culture and Science where World Congress events will be held in 2007. Peggy reported that it was inspiring to meet with Bible believing Christians from so many different nations having similar values and concerns.

More information on the planned pro-family, pro-life World Congress can be found at http://worldcongress.org/.

PLEDGE PROTECTION

Have you signed the Pledge Protection Act petition? Click here for information.

RELIGIOUS FREEDOM COALITION

PLEASE HELP

We need more staff to get more done on Capitol Hill. One more full time staffer is needed to work the Senate side of the Hill on the Pledge Protection Act. We really need a businessman or foundation to step forward and help generously. If you can arrange a large gift or grant to the Religious Freedom Coalition please call Peggy Birchfield or myself at 202.543.0300. Smaller donations are also needed now. Please help with our various projects on Capitol Hill and in the Holy Land. Please make your donation today! Click here to give a gift or send your tax deductible donation to the address below.

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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