POLITICAL DOMINION
H.R. 235 is titled 'to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to protect the religious free exercise and free speech rights of churches and other houses of worship.' It was introduced on January 4, 2005, by Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC3) and after six months, still does not enjoy any cosponsors. This legislation will allow houses of worship to act in politics without the limitations currently in place by the IRS to remove their tax deferments as religious organization.
H.R. 27 is the Job Training Improvement Act of 2005. It was introduced on January 4, 2005, by Rep. Howard McKeon (R-CA25). This legislation not only authorizes faith based initiatives in job training, but more importantly it amends the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA) by exempting religious organizations from discrimination provisions in hiring under WIA.
S.B. 396 prohibits taking minors across State lines in order to circumvent a State's parental notification laws. H.R. 748 [bold name of bill] is the House version of the same legislation.
H.R. 777 prohibits any Federal official from expending any Federal funds for any population control or population planning program or any family planning program, irrespective of whether the program is domestic or foreign.
S.B. 51 and H.R. 356 is the Senate and House versions of the Unborn Child Pain Awareness Act of 2005. S.B. 51 enjoys 34 cosponsors while H.R. 356 currently has 121 cosponsors. Pregnant women must sign a statement that they are aware that Congress thinks a fetus, 20 weeks after fertilization, feels pain and whether or not they want it to have pain medication.
S.J.Res. 1 and H.J.Res. 39, Marriage Protection Amendment provides:
"Article
Pertaining to Science of Life
Does your child's biology science text contain the following disclaimer? Does it need to?
STATE LEGISLATION
Alabama: H.B. 716 is the third anti-evolution bill introduced in Alabama this year. On April 5, 2005, Rep. Scott Beason (R-St. Clair, Shelby) introduced House Bill 716. The bill is dubbed the "Academic Freedom Act" and is a near-copy of a previous pair of anti-evolution bills (HB352, SB240) introduced in February 2005. The same language was introduced last year in legislation in Alabama and died. HB 716 was referred to the Education Committee.
Florida: H.B. 837 [bold name of state and bill], Student and Faculty Bill of Rights Bill extends protection to faculty who want to introduce their own religious views into their classrooms. The legislation was referred to three committees: the Colleges and Universities Committee, the Choice and Innovation Committee, and the Education Council. It was withdrawn from the first, was approved by the second, and is now (as of April 15) under consideration by the third. Its Senate counterpart, Senate Bill 2126, was introduced in the Florida Senate on March 7 and referred to the Education Committee and the Judiciary Committee; it is now on the agenda of the former.
A committee on academic freedom and tenure of the American Association of University Professors describes this Florida bill as "improper and dangerous," adding, "Not only is the Academic Bill of Rights redundant, but, ironically, it also infringes academic freedom in the very act of purporting to protect it."
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