Christian Coalition of America Condemns Congressional Democrats For Endangering First Amendment Rights of Rabbis, Priests and other Clergy by Voting Next Week on so-called "Hate Crimes" bill, H.R. 1592, More Commonly Known as "Thought Crimes" bill/H.R. 1592 Threatens America's Clergy and Citizens with Criminal Prosecution

This week in the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee, the Democrat so-called "Hate Crimes" bill, H.R. 1592, more commonly known as the "Thought Crimes" bill --which will endanger rabbis, priests, and other clergy who speak out on homosexuality, and which will threaten all American citizens with criminal prosecution if they speak against homosexuality assuming President George W. Bush does not veto the bill and it becomes law -- won by a party-line vote of 21-17. 

Next week the United States House of Representatives is expected to pass this abominable piece of legislation.  In the Republican-controlled 109^th Congress, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act passed the House as an amendment (H.Amdt. 544) to the Child Safety Act of 2005 by a vote of 223-199.  This bill is absolutely unnecessary:  the underlying offense is already and aggressively prosecuted in all 50 states.  The FBI statistics show that the incidence of "hate crimes" has actually declined over the last 10 years.

The "Thought Crimes" bill, H.R. 1592, would add sexual orientation as a class of people protected under existing hate crimes law.  The Democrat "Thought Crimes" bill gives “special protection” for homosexuals.  H.R. 1592, if signed into law by President Bush, will actually increase hatred in this country.  Everyone knows that if a parent treats one child more favorably than another, often there is hatred between the children.  Incredibly, the tragedy at Virginia Tech, emphasizes the serious problems with the so-called "Hate Crimes" bill.  If this bill becomes the law of the land, the crimes at Virginia Tech in which 32 victims were massacred would not be punishable to the level of these so-called "hate crimes" or if you will, "thought crimes."  In other words, a homosexual would have more federal protection under the law than the 32 victims of last week's butchery at Virginia Tech.

If President Bush does not veto this "Thought Crimes" bill, H.R. 1592, this could lead to a muzzling of a Christian’s right to free speech.   For example, if a Rabbi or Priest or any Pastor, reads a passage in the Bible which condones homosexuality from the pulpit, these clergy will run the risk of being considered an accomplice to any parishioner who goes out and commits a “hate crime” or a "thought crime" against a homosexual.

This despicable bill requires criminal investigations to probe if a crime occurred "because of" bias towards a protected group listed in the bill, such as homosexuals, and opens the door to criminal investigations of a suspect's philosophical beliefs, politics, biases, religion, activities, and past statements.  For example, a grandmother, along with others, was arrested because of the city of Philadelphia's "Hate Crimes" law after she passed out religious tracts at a homosexual event in P hiladelphia,  This is an entirely dangerous bill which is expected to pass both the liberal Democrat House and liberal Democrat Senate.

This clearly unconstitutional bill -- which violates the 13th, the 14th and 15th Amendments to the United States Constitution, as well as the Commerce Clause -- creates unequal treatment of victims by treating crimes against protected groups more seriously than non-protected groups.   For example, a murderer who kills a homosexual victim would be punished far greater than would a murderer who kills a heterosexual victim.  The federal government will be able to get involved in hate crimes instead of just local or state law enforcement. 

Elections Have Consequences!

ACTION:  Please call President George W. Bush at 202-456-1414 to urge him to issue a veto message against the "Hate Crimes" bill, H.R. 1592.  Also, please call your Congressman and 2 Senators at 202-225-3121 or you can go to http://www.cc.org/contactcongress.cfm and email them and urge them to vote NO on the abominable so-called "Hate Crimes" bill, H.R. 1592.

Senator Sam Brownback Reintroduces His Jerusalem Resolution/His Bill Calls for Jerusalem as Undivided Israeli Capital and for Moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem

Senator Sam Brownback, R-KS, this week reintroduced his Jerusalem Resolution, a joint resolution that would recognize Jerusalem as the undivided capital of Israel and would require moving the United States Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. 

He said after he introduced the Jerusalem Resolution:  "Jerusalem has been the capital of the Jewish people for 3,000 years, and is the seat of the State of Israel's government, parliament, and supreme court.  Yet, Israel remains the only country in which the United States does not place its embassy in, nor does it recognize, the city designated as the capital of the host country. The time has come to fix this longstanding inconsistency.  We must resolve this issue before any final peace settlement between Israel and the Palestinians." 

Senator Brownback has sponsored similar legislation in previous sessions of Congress.  In 2004, Senator Brownback traveled to Israel and he addressed the Knesset and voiced his support for the State of Israel and for the Jewish people.  He is a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations.

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell Attended the Supreme Court this Week in the Wisconsin Right to Life v. Federal Elections Commission case 

This week Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell from Kentucky, attended the arguments at the Supreme Court for the case before the court:  Wisconsin Right to Life v. Federal Elections Commission.  He was the major leader in Congress in the fight against the restrictions in the campaign finance reform bill signed into law, along with such diverse groups as the Christian Coalition of America and the American Civil Rights Union (ACLU.) Leader McConnell issued this statement following his appearance at the Supreme Court: 

"This morning I attended the oral arguments in Wisconsin Right to Life v. Federal Elections Commission at the Supreme Court.  Wisconsin Right to Life challenged a provision prohibiting grassroots advocacy groups from running ads mentioning candidates for federal office during a “blackout” period before primary and general elections. 

I submitted an Amicus Curiae brief supporting the First Amendment right of Wisconsin Right to Life and other grassroots advocacy groups to participate in political dialogue during the blackout period.  Groups from across the ideological spectrum, from the –American Civil Liberties Union to the National Rifle Association – have weighed in to support the side of Wisconsin Right to Life and free speech. 

I was encouraged by the active and insightful questions posed by the Justices.  For example:

·        Justice Alito recognized the massive breath of this provision during a presidential election year – namely a rolling ban from coast to coast during the year.  Grassroots groups could never run a nationwide ad on CNN or ESPN as it would violate the law in at least one state. 

·        Justice Scalia stated the time when ads are most persuasive to Members is during the blackout period before elections.  This is when the First Amendment right to petition the government is the most powerful.  These ads are about changing the minds of Members, not changing the minds of voters.

It was a very interesting session and there was substantial skepticism as to the constitutionality of the law as applied to these issue ads.   As Justice Kennedy asked, 'isn’t that democracy?'"

In a column by Republican Leader McConnell in the "Wall Street Journal" last Tuesday, he said regarding the Federal Election Commission v. Wisconsin Right to Life case: 

"...Even supporters of abortion rights are rooting for the Wisconsin group to win.  At issue is a provision in the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA) of 2002 which severely restricts "electioneering," or grass-roots advocacy, within 30 days of a primary and 60 days of a general election. The Supreme Court, unfortunately, upheld the basic constitutionality of this provision four years ago in a case that bears my name, but allowed for the possibility that specific applications of it could prove otherwise. Wisconsin Right to Life is testing that claim.

Specifically, the justices will consider a series of television ads the pro-life group ran in the summer and fall of 2004 during a Senate battle over a handful of President Bush's judicial nominees. The ads asked Wisconsin residents to contact the state's two Democratic senators and urge them to allow an up-or-down vote on the president's nominees.....A ruling in favor of Wisconsin Right to Life could deal a blow to one of BCRA's central provisions, namely the "blackout" periods during which advocacy groups are forbidden from running issue ads. That would be good. But the larger question is why an advocacy group must defend itself for expressing its views on a question of urgent public interest? This is precisely the question I and many others have been raising for more than a decade....

Those who agree with me have reason to hope that the Supreme Court will overturn this restrictive provision. One reason is that the court already acknowledged its potential harm in McConnell v. FEC; another is that the number of groups wrongly swept up by the blackout provision will only multiply as the primary season becomes longer. The prospect of so many appeals would itself be a sign of the law's instability.  The irony in all of this, of course, lies in another prospect: that groups as dissimilar as Wisconsin Right to Life and Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin might soon stand together to applaud the same ruling.

Congressman Todd Akin Introduces "Parent's Right to Know Act" Which Requires that Title X Clinics Notify Parents 5 Days Before Providing Contraceptives to Minors

Congressman Todd Akin, R-MO, will be reintroducing during the month of May the "Parent's Right to Know Act," which requires that Title X clinics notify parents five days before providing contraceptives to minors.  Currently, federally funded clinics are prohibited from disclosing information to parents when their minor child seeks contraceptive drugs or devices, including injections, contraceptive and abortifacient drugs such as Depo-Provera, the morning after pill, and other forms of birth control. 

Congressman Akin believes that it is unconscionable that clinics leave parents in the dark while their children receive medication that may be detrimental to their health and even deadly. Parents know their children's medical history, loving parents are best able to make medical decisions for their minor daughters and parents should be informed when their child is given prescription medication.

ACTION:  Please call your Representative at 202-225-3121 or you can go to http://www.cc.org/contactcongress.cfm to email and urge him/her to co-sponsor the "Parents' Right to Know Act" which will be introduced during the month of May.

Democrat-controlled 110th Congress Demoralizes Our Troops in Iraq and Afghanistan by Passing "Cut, Run and Surrender" Bill in Party-line Votes:  in House by 218-208 and in Senate by 51-46 Margins/President Bush Will Veto Democrat Pork-filled (over $20 Billion in Pork Which Democrat Leaders Used to Buy Votes)/Speaker Nancy Pelosi Refused to Meet This Week With General David Patraeus, the Top U.S. General in Iraq

Both the Democrat-controlled House and Senate cowardly voted for a "cut, run, and surrender" bill which undermines and demoralizes the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan and troops all over the world.  Both votes were party-line votes with only 2 Republicans in each chamber voting to join virtually all the Democrats in both the House (218-208) and the Senate (51-46.)  Not one Democrat Senator vo ted against the surrender bill and former Democrat Senator Joe Lieberman, now an independent from Connecticut, voted AGAINST the Democrat surrender bill on which President Bush will use the 2nd veto of his presidency.  Undoubtedly, the tens of millions of military veterans in the United States are disappointed with this cowardly vote, the first time a United States Congress has voted for surrender while American troops are in the field.

President Bush said that he will continue vetoing war spending bills as long as they contain a timetable for the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq.  President Bush said today during a news conference at the White House with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.  "If they want to try again that which I've said is unacceptable, of course I won't accept it.  I hope it won't come to that."

Vice President Dick Cheney yesterday told the Deseret News in an interview that the Democrat bill "... sets deadlines for our operations in Iraq. It, in effect, mandates a withdrawal, retreat; defeat is another way to look at it. Obviously, we won't accept that. ... The troops are still in the field, still in combat, still need the funds. I think there is a majority in Congress in both houses to pass a clean bill that's acceptable to the president.". 

Last week in "The Wall Street Journal" entitled "Show our Troops the Money," the leaders of the two top largest veterans groups, Paul Morin, national commander of the 4.5 million member American Legion and Gary Kurpius, national commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, said:  "This is not a Democrat or Republican issue.  This issue is about American men and women who we sent to war and who now some want to pull back before they finish their job.  The time to debate the war is not in the funding bill that keeps our troops alive.  If they need funds, it is the responsibility of Congress to provide them the money so that they can accomplish their mission.   The sooner their job is done, the sooner they come home.&nb sp; That's how you 'support the troops.'" 

Christian Coalition Activists need to Encourage 110th Congress to Pass Both "Net Neutrality" and "Multicast/Equal Access" Legislation to Prevent Discrimination Against Religious Broadcasters /Democrat-controlled Congress Expected to Pass "Net Neutrality" 
The lame-duck Republican Senate did not pass a telecommunications bill and thus a "Net Neutrality" provision was not passed in the 109th Congress.  "Net Neutrality" is an issue extremely important to America's grassroots organizations and those Americans who want to e nsure the cable and phone companies controlling access to the Internet will not discriminate against groups like Christian Coalition of America.  Although AT & T recently made an agreement with the FCC that it would agree to "net neutrality" in order to merge with BellSouth Corp. in a $86 billion merger, the agreement only lasts 2 years.  Therefore Congress must pass "net neutrality" legislation in order to make "net neutrality" permanent. 

It is anticipated that the Democrat-controlled Congress will agree with the position of the recent House Judiciary Committee Chairman, James Sensenbrenner, Republican-WI, and pass a "Net Neutrality" bill during the 110th Congress.  If "Net Neutrality" legislation does not pass, consumers will have to pay an additional fee to have a website. The cable/telephone monopoly will be dividing the Internet into a "fast track" and "slow track." Our grassroots, who cannot afford the additional fees, will have to be on the slow track, which will mean that many of our websites will be passed by because the general public will not have the patience to go on the "slow track".

"Multicast/Equal Access" (formerly called "Multicast/Must-carry") will go a long way to preventing discrimination against religious broadcasters. Without a "Multicast/Equal Access" law, the cable and satellite companies would probably not add new Christian channels and the influence of current Christian channels will be diluted.

Please continue to ask your Members of Congress to support “Multicast/Equal Access” and religious broadcasters. Call your Congressman and 2 Senators at 202-225-3121 or you can go to http://www.cc.org/contactcongress.cfm and email them and let them know we need a “Multicast/Equal Access” and "Net Neutrality" legislation to pass in the 110th Congress.

Please sign our petition and join the Faith & Family Television Task Force at http://www.cc.org/taskforce.cfm encourage your family, friends and church friends to also sign the petition at our website join the Christian Coalition’s Judicial Task Force, which is dedicated to ending the obstruction of the President's judicial nominees and ensuring that they ALL receive a fair "up or down" vote by the full Senate. There are a number of President Bush's Circuit Court of Appeals' nominees who have not yet received a Senate floor vote. The challenge to confirm President Bush's nominees in a Democrat-controlled Senate will be very difficult and we need your help in doing just that.  You will become part of a team of individuals who are committed to being ready on a moment’s notice to take action when obstruction occurs.