POLITICAL DOMINION
U.S. ADMINISTRATION
The Center for Reproductive Rights reported in July 2003 on the Bush Administration decision to reinstate the Reagan era 'Mexico City Policy' in the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) population program. The Mexico City Policy is also known as the 'Global Gag Rule' to promote an abstinence only approach. It is reported that 78,000 women die each year from unsafe abortions. This number could be drastically reduced if women were allowed to receive appropriate health information or services and the laws were reformed.
The Global Gag Rule applies to all and any Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) involved in family planning that receives USAID or U.S. State Department funds. NGOs are prohibited from spending not only U.S. taxpayer funds, but even their own funds for helping women in third world nations plan their families. The effect has been devastating. Take Nepal for instance. So many women die each year in child birth, nearly half from unsafe abortions, that in September 2002, the King of Nepal signed a law legalizing abortions on broad grounds. The law though has had little effect because most family planning efforts for low-income and rural women come from NGOs who cannot provide appropriate health information or services to the women due to the Bush Administration's policy. (5)
Science and the Potential Benefit of Embryonic Stem Cell Research
"Many scientists believe that embryonic stem cell research may eventually lead to therapies that could be used to treat diseases that afflict approximately 128 million Americans. Treatments may include replacing destroyed dopamine-secreting neurons in a Parkinson's patient's brain; transplanting insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells in diabetic patients; and infusing cardiac muscle cells in a heart damaged by myocardial infarction. Embryonic stem cells may also be used to understand basic biology and to evaluate the safety and efficacy of new medicines." (6)
Still the Administration stopped further public funding for embryonic stem cell research based entirely on sectarian and not scientific grounds potentially adversely affecting 128 million Americans as the Administration recognized in the quote above.
The Administration has been investigated and a report found that Faith Based Initiatives produce significantly misleading and wrong information to children on abstinence-only sex education material. The executive summary states that the U.S. Federal government will spend $170 million on abstinence only education programs in 2005. In 2003, over 80% of the abstinence-only curricula used by over two-thirds of the grantees contained false, misleading, or distorted information about reproductive information. (7)
U.S. 109TH CONGRESS
S.B. 520, A bill to limit the jurisdiction of Federal courts in certain cases and promote Federalism was introduced by Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL) on March 3, 2005. It is currently cosponsored by Senators Wayne Allard (R-CO); Jim Bunning (R-KY); Richard Burr (R-NC); James Inhofe (R-OK); Sam Brownback (R-KS); Conrad Burns (R-MT); Larry Craig (R-ID); Trent Lott (R-MS). The bill was referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee. It states that it may be cited as the "Constitutional Restoration Act of 2005".
This legislation states that:
`Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the Supreme Court shall not have jurisdiction to review, by appeal, writ of certiorari, or otherwise, any matter to the extent that relief is sought against an entity of Federal, State, or local government, or against an officer or agent of Federal, State, or local government whether or not acting in official or personal capacity, concerning that entity's, officer's, or agent's acknowledgment of God as the sovereign source of law, liberty, or government.' (emphasis added)
H.R. 1070 is the identical bill to S.B. 520 introduced in the House of Representatives by Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-AL4) and currently enjoys 38 cosponsors.
H.J.Res. 7 is the Prayer in School Amendment. This one was introduced by Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO8) on January 4, 2005, and after six months, still has only one cosponsor, Rep. Roger Wicker (R-MS1). H.J.Res. 7 has been referred to the House Judiciary Committeeís Subcommittee on Constitution.
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