Religious Freedom Coalition - Promoting Religious Freedom and Family Based Legislation
RFC Home Give a Gift Online Store Legislation Newsletter Subscribe About RFC Archives Search




Click here or on the image above to learn more about William J. Murray’s most recent book, The Pledge: One Nation Under God

Week Ending October 31, 2003
November 1, 2003 11:48AM EST

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE - WEEK ENDING October 31, 2003

CONGRESS IN SESSION

"Gunman" shuts down Capitol Hill: RFC Executive Director Peggy Birchfield was attending a meeting at the Capitol Building on Thursday, October 30th when the building was "locked down" because someone carrying a "gun" had penetrated security in the Cannon Office Building. All congressional office buildings and the Capitol Building are connected by tunnels. Peggy was allowed to leave the Capitol after it was discovered that the "gun" was part of a Halloween costume belonging to congressional staff. The incident has delayed both legislation and hearings.

THE SENATE

GLOBAL AIDS BILL

The deep abiding faith of President George W. Bush led him to propose a war on AIDS in Africa. As I stated in July, "The AIDS issue in Africa has become a security issue. Governments are collapsing and there is constant warfare. Warlords and drug dealers are taking over entire regions of this great continent..." That is still true today. Unfortunately good ideas are frequently corrupted in Congress by those with a liberal agenda. Senators such as Ted Kennedy and Hillary Clinton wanted to hang their pro-abortion, pro-homosexual, anti-family agenda onto the $15 billion Global AIDS Bill.

In one version of the bill, faith-based organizations would have been denied funding to work on the AIDS problem in Africa unless they agreed to pass out condoms. Condoms are not a cure for AIDS; only abstinence and faithfulness to one lifetime partner can stop AIDS. In May of this year Congressman Joe Pitts (R-PA) added an amendment that would allow faith-based groups who are not willing to pass out condoms to participate in programs. Global AIDS passed with those provisions intact in May of this year. But the vampire just keeps coming back to life. A separate appropriations bill, the Foreign Operations bill of 2003, somehow had language added to it that stripped the protections of faith-based organizations from the Global AIDS bill.

On Tuesday, Majority Leader Senator Bill Frist added an amendment to the Foreign Operations bill that continues to allow participation by faith-based groups and also prohibits any groups that promote legalized prostitution from receiving funds. Social conservative groups in Washington pushed Senators to vote for the Foreign Operations Bill with the Frist Amendment attached. Senator Diane Feinstein (D-CA) led a fight as late as Thursday night to pass an new amendment to Foreign Ops to drop all abstinence requirements. Her amendment failed and the final Foreign Ops bill was passed by voice vote. This is the kind of battle being fought behind the scenes in the Senate virtually every day. Thank you and God bless you Senator Frist for continue the good fight for what is right!

THE JUDICIAL BATTLE

On Thursday, October 30th the Wall Street Journal ran a stinging editorial against liberal Democrats for blocking California Supreme Court Judge Janice Rogers Brown from moving to the U.S. Court of Appeals. The Journal made it clear that the Democrat attacks against her led by Judiciary Committee member Senator Richard Durbin were racial in nature. The Journal stated: "As Condi Rice, Colin Powell, Justice Thomas and others can attest, liberals reserve their harshest and most personal attacks for minorities with the audacity to wander off the ideological plantation..." In his attacks against Judge Brown, Durbin questioned her appointment by the President because she was "from California" and that was "3,000 miles from Washington, DC" where her new job would be. He also said she was "insensitive" to rape victims. The Senator's real problem is that she is a black conservative and liberals don't want any of those "kind of people" to serve in government. What it sounds like to me is plain old fashioned racism. In case you would like to drop Senator Durbin a note about his position on black conservatives, his e-mail address is dick@durbin.senate.gov.

THE HOUSE

MARRIAGE PROTECTION

I am continuing to promote The Marriage Protection Act of 2003 proposed by Congressman Hostettler (R-IN), who is a member of the House Subcommittee on the Constitution. His bill would strengthen the already existing Defense of Marriage Act passed in 1996 by restricting the jurisdiction of federal courts. In Hill lingo this is referred to as the "super-DOMA" because it uses Article III, Section I and II of the Constitution to restrict the jurisdiction of federal courts, including the Supreme Court.

The Religious Freedom Coalition will work on two tracks to protect marriage. We will support an Amendment to the Constitution and we will support strong legislation such as the Marriage Protection Act. If nothing else, we can have Congressman Hostettler's legislation in place while the lengthy process of a constitutional amendment plays itself out.

For background on the attack on the institution of marriage and the family I highly recommend The Broken Hearth by Dr. William Bennet.

RESOLUTION ON PORNOGRAPHY Congressman John Sullivan (R-OK) has introduced a resolution asking the Administration and Justice Department to vigorously enforce the nation's pornography laws. "As the father of four young children, I am extremely concerned about the ease in which Americans, especially children, obtain utterly depraved material," Sullivan said. "These images are a mouse click away, despite the fact that they are illegal and depict scenes that shock the conscience. We must enforce current law and eliminate this refuse." H.Con.Res 298 was introduced by the congressman with more than thirty co-sponosrs. While a congressional resolution has no force of law, it sends a message to those whose job it is to enforce existing laws. To contact your congressman and ask him to co-sponsor HCR-298 go to www.congress.org. This week had already been proclaimed as Protection From Pornography Week by President George W. Bush.

THE PRESIDENCY

On Tuesday I debated Dr. James Zogby of the Arab-American Institute on CNN-International. While James Zogby claims to represent all Arab-Americans, he is actually a Democrat party activist. He is the chairman of the National Democratic Ethnic Coordinating Committee. During our debate he claimed that General William Boykin should be fired by President Bush because of "insensitive" remarks he made at a church about Islam. The General had made the mistake of identifying our enemy, which is the Islamic Jihad movement. I defended General Boykin's comments about the war on terror being a spiritual as well as physical war, because it is just that. Unfortunately the President is being pushed by his advisors to fire General Boykin for fear that his remarks have made Muslims "mad" at us. I have news for those advisors; the Muslims who attacked our civilians and murdered them do not have to be incited. They hate Christian Americans because they are Christian and they hate secular Americans because they are secular. No matter what we say or do they are going to continue to hate us and continue to want to kill us all because they are followers of Mohammed. Firing General Boykin who is the Pentagon's man in charge of the war on terror would simply be a victory for the enemy. If you support General Boykin please e-mail President Bush at president@whitehouse.gov.

NOT A RELIGION OF PEACE

It appears that the Catholic Church has joined General Boykin in declaring that Islam is not a religion of peace. For decades the Roman Catholic Church has been silent on the issue of Islam fearing that Catholics who still live in Islamic countries would be worse off if the church spoke up. But, the treatment of Christians has become so unbearable in Islamic nations that the Catholic Church may now understand that silence helps nothing. In the October 18 edition of La Civilta Cattolica, the Catholic Church broke that silence by saying, "Thus, in all its history, Islam has shown a warlike face and a conquering spirit for glory of Allah .... convert to Islam or die." The official paper of the Roman Church said that for "...almost a thousand years Europe was under constant threat from Islam which twice put its survival in serious danger." This is an important document that every Christian should read. Original Italian / English Translation

Europe is anti-Semitic and craves the destruction of Israel. France is a principle backer of Yassar Arafat and President George W. Bush must speak softly about Islam to maintain fragile alliances against the terror that stalks us. Each day more Christian leaders are speaking out with the truth about Islam, making it ever more difficult for President Bush to maintain the official line that Islam is a "religion of peace that has been hijacked by extremists." Islam in itself is extreme and the Catholic Church paper illustrates this magnificently.

RELIGIOUS FREEDOM COALITION

BUY A PATRIOTIC TIE - Visit our Internet store today!

Check our Internet site at www.rfcnet.org for last minute updates! Please feel free to forward this weekly update to friends. We are now at over 65,000 subscribers .... Get the word out and help us hit the 100,000 mark by the end of the year! See below for subscribe/unsubscribe instructions. God richly bless you, that is my prayer.

William J. Murray, Chairman - Religious Freedom Coalition

Check out our new support page. Your gift to the RFC helps us with our advocacy work in Washington, DC.

Please address all comments and questions to support@rfcnet.org. Visit our online bookstore!

Email this Article Printer Friendly Version

Related Articles
- Week Ending November 1, 2002
- Week Ending October 25, 2002
- Week Ending November 8, 2002
- October 2002 Newsletter
- Week Ending October 18, 2002
- Week Ending November 15, 2002
- Week Ending November 22nd
- Week Ending November 29th
- Week Ending December 6, 2002
- Week Ending December 13, 2002
- Week Ending December 20th, 2002
- Week Ending December 27, 2002
- January 2003 Newsletter
- Week Ending January 17, 2003
- Week Ending January 10, 2003
- Week Ending January 24th
- Week Ending January 31st
- Week Ending February 7, 2003
- Week Ending February 14, 2003
- Week Ending February 21, 2003
- Week Ending February 28, 2003
- March, 2003 Newsletter
- Week Ending March 7th
- Week Ending March 14, 2003
- Week Ending March 21, 2003
- Week Ending March 28, 2003
- Week Ending April 4, 2003
- April, 2003 Newsletter
- Week Ending April 11, 2003
- Week Ending April 18, 2003
- Week Ending April 25, 2003
- Week Ending May 2, 2003
- Week Ending May 9, 2003
- May, 2003 Newsletter
- Week Ending May 16, 2003
- Week Ending May 23, 2003
- Week Ending May 30, 2003 - Washington, D.C.
- Week Ending June 6, 2003 - Washington, D.C.
- Week Ending June 13, 2003
- Week Ending June 20, 2003
- June, 2003 Newsletter
- Week Ending June 27, 2003
- Week Ending July 4, 2003
- Week Ending July 11, 2003
- July, 2003 Newsletter
- Week Ending July 18, 2003
- Week Ending July 25, 2003
- Week Ending August 1, 2003
- August, 2003 Newsletter
- Week Ending August 8, 2003
- Week Ending August 15, 2003
- Week Ending August 22, 2003
- Week Ending August 29, 2003
- Week Ending September 5, 2003
- Week Ending September 12, 2003
- Week Ending September 19, 2003
- Week Ending September 26, 2003
- WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 3, 2003
- October Newsletter
- Week Ending October 10, 2003
- Week Ending October 17, 2003
- Week Ending October 24, 2003
- Week Ending November 7, 2003
- Week Ending November 14, 2003
- Week Ending November 21, 2003
- Week Ending November 28, 2003
- December, 2003 Newsletter
- Week Ending December 5, 2003
- Week Ending December 12, 2003
- Week Ending December 19, 2003
- Week Ending December 26, 2003
- Week Ending January 2, 2004
- Week Ending January 9, 2004
- Week Ending January 16, 2004
- Week Ending January 23, 2004
- Week Ending January 30, 2004
- Weekend Ending February 6, 2004
- Week Ending February 13, 2004
- Week Ending Feburary 20, 2004
- Week Ending February 27, 2004
- Week Ending March 5, 2004
- Week Ending March 12, 2004
- WEEK ENDING MARCH 19, 2004
- Week Ending March 26, 2004
- Week Ending April 2, 2004
- Week Ending April 9, 2004
- Week Ending April 16, 2004
- WEEK ENDING APRIL 23, 2004
- Week Ending April 30, 2004
- Week Ending May 7, 2004
- Week Ending May 14, 2004
- Week Ending May 21, 2004
- Week Ending May 28, 2004
- Week Ending June 4, 2004
- Week Ending June 11, 2004
- Week Ending June 18, 2004
- Week Ending June 25, 2004
- Week Ending July 2, 2004
- Week Ending July 9, 2004
- Week Ending July 16, 2004
- Week Ending July 23, 2004
- Week Ending July 30, 2004
- Week Ending August 6, 2004
- Week Ending August 13, 2004
- Week Ending August 20, 2004
- Week Ending September 3, 2004
- Week Ending September 10, 2004
- Week Ending September 17, 2004
- Week Ending September 24, 2004
- Week Ending October 1, 2004
- Week Ending October 8, 2004
- Week Ending October 15, 2004
- Week Ending October 22, 2004
- Chairman's Report for October 20, 2004
- Week Ending October 29, 2004
- Week Ending November 5, 2004
- Week Ending November 12, 2004
- Week Ending November 19, 2004
- Week Ending November 26, 2004
- Week Ending December 3, 2004
- Week Ending December 10, 2004
- Week Ending December 17, 2004
- Week Ending December 24, 2004
- Week Ending January 7, 2005
- Week Ending January 14, 2005
- Week Ending January 21, 2005
- Week Ending January 26, 2005
- Week Ending February 4, 2005
- Week Ending February 11, 2005
- Week Ending February 18, 2005
- Week Ending February 25, 2005
- Week Ending March 4, 2005
- Week Ending March 11, 2005
- Week Ending March 18, 2005
- Week Ending March 25, 2005
- Week Ending April 1, 2005
- Week Ending April 8, 2005
- Week Ending April 15, 2005
- Week Ending April 22, 2005
- Week Ending April 29, 2005
- Week Ending May 6, 2005
- Week Ending May 13, 2005
- Week Ending May 20, 2005
- SPECIAL MIDWEEK UPDATE
- WEEK ENDING MAY 27, 2005
- WEEK ENDING JUNE 3, 2005
- WEEK ENDING JUNE 10, 2005
- WEEK ENDING JUNE 17, 2005
- WEEK ENDING JUNE 24, 2005
- WEEK ENDING JULY 1, 2005
- Week Ending July 8, 2005
- Week Ending July 15, 2005
- Week Ending July 22, 2005
- Week Ending July 29, 2005
- Week Ending August 5, 2005
- Week Ending August 12, 2005
- Week Ending August 19, 2005
- Week Ending August 26, 2005
- Week Ending September 2, 2005
- Week Ending September 9, 2005
- Week Ending September 16, 2005
- Week Ending September 23, 2005
- Week Ending September 30, 2005
- WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 07, 2005
- Week Ending October 14, 2005
- Week Ending October 21, 2005
- Chairman's Report for October 14, 2005
- Week Ending October 28, 2005
- Week Ending November 4, 2005
- Week Ending November 11, 2005
- Week Ending November 18, 2005
- Week Ending November 25, 2005
- Week Ending December 2, 2005
- Week Ending December 9, 2005
- Week Ending December 16, 2005 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending December 23, 2005
- Week Ending December 30, 2005
- Week Ending January 6. 2006
- Week Ending January 13, 2006
- Week Ending January 20, 2006
- Week Ending January 27, 2006
- Week Ending February 3, 2006
- Week Ending February 10, 2006
- Week Ending February 17, 2006 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending February 24, 2006 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending March 3, 2006 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending March 10, 2006 - From Washington, DC
- Week Ending March 17, 2006 - From Washington, DC
- Week Ending March 24, 2006 - From Washington, DC
- Week Ending March 31, 2006 - From Washington, DC
- Week Ending April 7, 2006 - From Washington, DC
- Week Ending April 14, 2006 - From Washington, DC
- Week Ending April 21, 2006 - From Washington, DC
- Week Ending April 28, 2006
- Week Ending May 5, 2006 - From Washington, DC
- Week Ending May 12, 2006 - From Washington, DC
- Week Ending May 19, 2006 - From Washington, DC
- Week Ending May 26, 2006
- Week Ending June 2, 2006 - From Washington, DC
- Week Ending June 9, 2006
- Week Ending June 16, 2006
- Week Ending June 24, 2006 - From Washington, DC
- Week Ending June 30, 2006 - From Washington, DC
- Week Ending July 7, 2006
- Week Ending July 14, 2006 - From Washington, DC
- Week Ending July 21, 2006 - From Washington, DC
- Week Ending July 28, 2006 - From Washington, DC
- Week Ending August 4, 2006 - From Washington, DC
- Week Ending August 11, 2006- From Washington D.C.
- Week Ending August 18, 2006 - From Washington, DC
- Week Ending August 25, 2006 - From Washington, DC
- Week Ending September 1, 2006 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending September 8, 2006 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending September 15, 2006 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending September 22, 2006 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending September 29, 2006 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending October 6, 2006 - Washington, DC
- Chairman's Report for October 3, 2006
- Weeking Ending October 13, 2006
- Week Ending October 20, 2006 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending October 27, 2006
- Week Ending November 3, 2006 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending November 10, 2006
- Week Ending November 17, 2006
- Week Ending November 24, 2006 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending December 1, 2006
- Week Ending December 15, 2006 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending December 8, 2006 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending December 22, 2006
- Week Ending December 28, 2006 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending January 5, 2006 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending January 12, 2007 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending January 19, 2007
- Week Ending January 26, 2007 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending February 2, 2007
- Week Ending February 9, 2007
- Week Ending February, 16, 2007 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending February 23, 2007 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending March 2, 2007 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending March 9, 2007 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending March 16, 2007 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending March 23, 2007- Washington, DC
- Week Ending March 30, 2007 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending April 6, 2007 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending April 13, 2007
- Week Ending April 20, 2007 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending April 27, 2007 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending May 18, 2007
- Week Ending May 11, 2007
- Week Ending May 4, 2007
- Week Ending May 25, 2007 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending June 1, 2007 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending June 8, 2007 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending June 15, 2007 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending June 22, 2007 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending June 29, 2007 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending July 6, 2007 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending July 13, 2007 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending July 27, 2007 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending August 3, 2007 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending August 10, 2007 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending August 17, 2007 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending August 24, 2007 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending August 31, 2007 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending September 7, 2007 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending September 14, 2007 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending September 21, 2007 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending October 5, 2007 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending October 12, 2007
- Week Ending October 19, 2007 - Amman, Jordan
- Week Ending October 26, 2007 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending November 2, 2007 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending October 9, 2007
- Week Ending November 16, 2007
- Week Ending November 30, 2007
- Week Ending December 7, 2007
- Week Ending December 14, 2007
- Week Ending December 21, 2007
- Christmas Week 2007
- Week Ending January 4, 2008 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending January 11, 2008 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending January 18, 2007 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending January 25, 2008 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending February 1, 2008 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending February 8, 2008 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending February 15, 2008 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending February 22, 2008
- Week Ending February 29, 2008 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending March 7, 2008 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending March 14, 2008 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending March 21, 2008 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending March 28, 2008 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending April 4, 2008 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending April 11, 2008 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending April 18, 2008 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending April 25, 2008 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending May 9, 2008
- Week Ending May 2, 2008
- Week Ending May 16, 2008 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending May 23, 2008 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending May 30, 2008 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending June 6, 2008 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending June 13, 2008 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending June 20, 2008 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending June 27, 2008
- Week Ending July 4, 2008 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending July 11, 2008 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending July 18, 2008 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending July 25, 2008 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending August 1, 2008 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending August 8, 2008 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending August 15, 2008 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending August 22, 2008 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending August 29, 2008 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending September 5, 2008 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending September 12, 2008 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending September 19, 2008
- Week Ending October 3, 2008 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending September 26, 2008
- Week Ending October 10, 2008 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending October 17, 2008 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending October 24, 2008 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending October 31, 2008 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending November 7, 2008 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending November 14, 2008 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending November 21, 2008 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending December 5, 2008 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending December 12, 2008 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending December 19, 2008 - Washington, DC
- Christmas Week, 2008 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending April 3, 2009 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending May 1, 2009 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending May 8, 2009 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending May 15, 2009 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending May 22, 2009 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending May 29, 2009 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending June 5, 2009 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending June 12, 2009 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending June 19, 2009 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending June 26, 2009 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending July 3, 2009 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending July 10, 2009 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending July 17, 2009 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending July 24, 2009 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending July 31, 2009 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending August 8, 2009 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending August 14, 2009 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending August 21, 2009 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending August 28, 2009 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending September 4, 2009 - Washington, DC
- Week ending September 11, 2009 - Washington, DC
- Week ending September 18, 2009 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending September 25, 2009 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending October 2, 2009 - Washington, DC
- Chairman's Report for October 8, 2009
- Week Ending October 9, 2009 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending October 16, 2009 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending October 23, 2009
- Chairman's Report for October 30, 2009
- Week Ending October 30, 2009 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending November 6, 2009 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending November 13, 2009 - Washington, DC
- Week ending November 20, 2009 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending December 5, 2009 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending December 11, 2009 - Washington, DC
- Week Ending December 18, 2009 - Washington, DC
- Christmas Week, 2009 - Washington, DC
- October 1, 2010 - Washington, DC

Home | Make this my Home Page
Give a Gift | Online Store | Legislation | Newsletter | Subscribe | About RFC | Archives | Search


 Religious Freedom Coalition
P.O. Box 77511
Washington, DC 20013


General Correspondence: support@rfcnet.org
Special Events: events@rfcnet.org
 DC Advocacy Office: (202) 543-0300
Administration: (202) 742-8990