Faith-Based Bill Ready to Go to the Senate Floor

Senate and White House negotiators have cleared lingering road-blocks and struck
a deal Tuesday to allow President Bush's faith-based initiative to reach the
Senate floor. The agreement was reached after Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AK), who
had been blocking the bill, agreed to compromise on her amendment that would
increase the tax benefits of corporate donations to faith-based or community
charities.

Republican sources say that as long as other Democrats do not raise other
issues, it appears the bill is ready to advance to the Senate floor, along with
Lincoln's amendment. The bill, known as the CARE Act of 2002 (S.1924), is
intended to promote giving to charities and remove barriers facing faith-based
groups in competing for federal aid.

Initiative to Open More Single-Sex Schools

Efforts to allow school districts to open more single-sex public schools are
being pursued. The Bush administration wants to relax existing federal rules
that limit single-sex schools and make more money available for their creation.
Liberal advocacy, women's and civil rights groups, who say such schools promote
sexism, compare separation on the basis of gender with racial segregation.
Supporters of Bush's plan counter with studies that show girls in single-sex
schools tend to excel in scholastic and social situations.

The No Child Left Behind Act, signed by President Bush last winter, permits
school districts with single-sex schools to compete for a small portion of $450
million for new programs. School districts can also receive federal money for
single-sex schools if equal course work and facilities are available to both
sexes.

Senator Attempts to Add "Chemical Security Act" to Homeland Security

Senator Jon Corzine (D-NJ) will attempt to introduce the "Chemical Security Act"
(S. 1602) as an amendment to the Homeland Security package. The bill would
grant the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), an agency not particularly
experienced in homeland security matters, vastly expanded authority to
investigate industrial manufacturing industries, as well as farms. Opponents of
the bill say this would amount to an unreasonable punishment of those sectors,
with little or no measurable security benefit.

Concerns have been raised about the competency and personal resources'
experiences in matters of homeland security.

"U.S. Muslims Strive for American Identity"

"U.S. Muslims Strive for American Identity" is an online op-ed written by Kerri
Houston, national field director for the American Conservative Union, in which
she discusses some of the challenges that the American Muslim community faces
after 9/11. Please visit: http://www.gopusa.com/kerrihouston/kh_0912.shtml to
read Houston's piece.