GREAT NEWS FOR THE CAUSE OF
CHRIST & RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.

Just hours before the crucial votes on the Ten Commandments and other cultural amendments to the Juvenile Justice Act a major press conference was held on the Capitol grounds. Majority Whip Tom Delay above speaks as Congressman Hostettler and RFC chairman William J. Murray look on. Also participating the news conference were Congressmen DeMint and Istook.

We just waged a great battle on Capitol Hill! Legislation to promote religious values was successfully added to the Juvenile Justice Act.

The amendments to the Juvenile Justice Act that won included:

1. First Amendment Right to Freedom of Expression. The amendment filed by Congressman DeMint (R-SC) would allow Christian kids to pray voluntarily in school. Kids could also pass out tracts and witness to other kids without fear of being punished by the school. The bill also stopped the ACLU from filing any further lawsuits on the issue by stating that those filing suit could not claim any damages or receive any financial awards for attorneys’ fees.

2.Ten Commandments Amendment. Congressman Aderholt’s (R-AL) amendment to permit the display of the Ten Commandments in schools and other public places received both Republican and Democratic support.

3. Public School Memorials Amendment written by Congressman Tancredo (R-CO) also passed. His amendment would allow fitting memorials on public school property to contain religious speech and symbols. The Columbine school shootings occurred in Tancredo’s district. There is now a major fight with the ACLU threatening lawsuits if any reference is made to God when a memorial is constructed to the victims, all of whom were Christians.

Hanna Rosin of the Washington Post wrote a blistering story about the passage of the amendments to the Juvenile Justice Act (HR-1501). She said "... Three of the religious amendments that would have been unthinkable before the Columbine school shootings breezed through, with surprising support from the Democrats."

Now the bad news: all of these pro-family, pro-values amendments to HR-1501 passed, but the Senate has not passed any pro-family amendments to its version of the Juvenile Justice Bill. The version passed by the Senate has no provision for school prayer and none for the display of the Ten Commandments.

As a result none of these provisions many fought for will become law unless the Senate agrees to accept the House version in a conference committee.