Heating up the Houses...it's time to buckle down for the fight

"The price of freedom is eternal vigilance." The battle for freedom, justice and morality is never ending. At times though the battle is more fierce and intense than at other times. Now is one of those times of intensity. Specifically, in congress today battles are raging that threaten to further remove the personal and religious liberties of medical workers and private businesses, to persecute those who stand up for morality, freedom of conscience, and the foundational principles of liberty.
These updates from the Family Research Council document a portion of the battle at hand and provide an opportunity for us to make our voices heard in the fray.

The Senate HELP Committee continued its markup of the Kennedy healthcare legislation yesterday. Several amendments were offered to protect conscience rights and to prevent funding or mandating of abortion. Sen. Orrin Hatch's (R-Utah) amendment to prevent funding of abortion failed. Sen. Michael Enzi's (R-Wy.) amendment to prevent the healthcare bill from mandating abortion coverage was defeated. Since there is nothing in this legislation to prevent mandating abortion as a covered service, it would be mandated--the Obama Administration health bureaucracy will see to that.

Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) also offered several amendments to the Kennedy legislation. His amendment to codify the Hyde/Weldon conscience protection law was defeated. His amendment to prevent the healthcare bill from preempting state laws on abortion was defeated. With the exception of Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.), the HELP Democrats voted against it. They opposed preventing this legislation from trumping various state laws, such as parental consent laws. One bright note, Sen. Coburn's amendment to protect healthcare workers' conscience rights with regard to euthanasia passed by a voice vote. The amendment ensures that doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers, including healthcare plans, are not forced to violate their conscience on the issue of euthanasia.

Sen. Ted Kennedy's (D-Mass.) amendment supposedly protecting conscience rights on abortion passed by a voice vote. This amendment says that no one should lose a contract with the healthcare Gateways because they refuse to perform abortion except in the case of emergencies. Given that the Democrats voted against the Coburn conscience amendment on abortion, which mirrors current conscience law, this amendment is a deceptive and even dangerous substitute for real conscience protections on abortion. Click here for FRC's in-depth analysis of the HELP Committee votes.

Additional Resources
The Cloakroom: Summary of votes on prolife amendments in Senate HELP Committee Healthcare Bill

Coming Soon to a Defense Bill Near You: 'Hate Crimes' Laws

Yesterday, Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) introduced so-called "hate crimes" legislation as an amendment to the Defense Authorization Bill. "Hate crimes" legislation represents a massive expansion of federal power that will take the nation a major step closer to investigating, prosecuting and persecuting pastors, business owners, and anyone else who publicly affirms the teaching of scripture, or any other belief system, that homosexual behavior is immoral. The Senate will likely vote on the bill this week.

If approved by the Senate, and absent other controversies over defense spending issues (yes, Congress does sometimes use bill titles that refer to the actual content of the legislation), President Obama is expected to sign the bill into law. What can you do? First, watch this brief video, which explains the dangers vastly expanded federal hate crimes laws pose to people of faith. Then pass the link on to your pastor and to your friends. Finally, call your Senator today (202) 224-3121 and voice your opposition to this inappropriate amendment to an important national defense bill.

Additional Resources
Watch the brief video on Hate Crimes
Contact your Senators today!
Check out our DVD, 'Censoring Christians, Silencing Christians'

Posted by Caleb