VOLUME No: 47 Issue No: 2

Washington, D.C. March 13, 2003

Houses of Worship Free Speech Restoration Act

Rep. Jones of California introduced a bill in January dubbed the Houses of Worship Free Speech Restoration Act. This bill repeals an amendment made in 1954 by Lyndon Johnson to ban political speech in houses of worship. The current law threatens to take away any houses of worship tax exempt status if the person leading the prayer takes a partisan position on a political issue, during a campaign season. Proponents of the bill state that it finally gives Churches, Synagogues, Mosques, etc. back the right to speak freely about an issue, whether it can be construed as political or not. The bill also does nothing to change campaign finance laws created in 1971. This bill is currently in the Ways and Means House Committee for review.

Alliance for Marriage calls on Congress to pass
marriage friendly welfare reform

This week the Alliance for Marriage organization called upon the senate to pass legislation to married couples to promote marriage. Currently the Senate Finance Committee is reviewing two bills focusing on low income families. H.R 4 the Personal Responsibility, Work, and Family Promotion Act of 2003 aims to promote family formation and a healthy marriage by giving promotion grants to those with healthy marriages. It also gives bonuses to those families who achieve employment. It also promotes fatherhood in families by using counseling and parenting education. S. 120 the Marriage Penalty Relief Act of 2003 also aims to help low income families by eliminating the marriage penalty tax on low income couples.

Senate Passes Bill to Ban Partial Birth Abortion

The senate bill introduced by Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA) calling for the banning of the controversial procedures known as Partial Birth Abortions passed the senate on Thursday the 13th of March. The bill prohibits doctors from committing an ``overt act'' designed to kill a partially delivered fetus. Partial birth is described as a case in which the entire fetal head is outside the body of the mother, or, in the event of a breech delivery, if ``any part of the fetal trunk past the navel is outside the body of the mother.'' The legislation does include an exemption in cases in which the procedure is necessary to save the life of the mother. The bill passed by a margin of 63-33 with 16 Democrats and 48 Republicans voting for the bill. The bill must pass though the House before moving onto the President’s desk. President Bush has also stated that he will sign the bill should it come to him.

Senate Drags Feet on Estrada Nomination

The Senate has yet to confirm the nomination of Miguel Estrada to the 9th District Court of Appeals. Currently, Senate Democrats are filibustering the debate forcing the Republican leadership to invoke cloture to end the discussion and bring about a vote. Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) first introduced a cloture motion last Thursday but fell 5 votes short of the 60 needed to pass. He’s expected to do the same this week but will probably be met with the same opposition.