ABORTION VICTORY IN MISSOURI . . .On February 12, 1997, Missouri's State Senate Judiciary Committee passed the Partial Birth Abortion Ban out of committee. This legislation will now go to the full Senate, where it will be debated and voted on sometime in the near future. Missouri's partial birth abortion ban has been patterned after the federal ban, H.R. 1833, which was passed by Congress during the last few months of the 104th Congress and vetoed by President Clinton. Because Congress was unable to override the presidential veto during the 104th Congress, the partial birth abortion ban will be a major priority for the 105th Congress. S. 6 has already been filed in the Senate and a House bill is ready to be introduced in the next few days. In addition, many states, along with Missouri, have filed partial birth abortion legislation -- Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Virginia, and Washington. This list was provided by the National Right To Life State Legislative Office on 2/14/97. Other states are expected to file legislation in the upcoming weeks. ACTION: Contact your state senators and representatives about the partial birth abortion ban in your state. In addition, contact your two U.S. Senators and your U.S. Representative about the partial birth abortion legislation in Congress. Note: See FW #7 for necessary phone numbers and addresses. TV RATINGS OPEN FOR COMMENT . . .The new TV Rating System, developed as a result of the Telecommunications bill that was passed by the 104th Congress, is being criticized by pro-family groups and parents. A group of TV industry executives decided the system should be age-based rather than content-based, even though studies had shown that parents would prefer a content-based system. Note: Many parents and pro-family groups question the effectiveness of a rating system at all, but given a choice, they favor a system that would provide detailed information on the content of the shows, i.e., levels of sex, violence and offensive language. A Media Research Center report, released 2/11/97, revealed that many prime-time programs were given a blanket "TV-PG" rating even though the content was strongly sexual, violent or offensive. Good News: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has opened its mailbox as of Friday, 2/14/97, so that parents and pro-family groups can comment on the existing TV rating system. ACTION: To file a formal comment with the FCC, send five copies of your letter to: Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission, 1919 M Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20554. To ensure proper routing, place "CS Docket No. 97-55" in the heading of your letter. [Family Issues Alert, Focus on the Family, 2/12/97]GOOD FRIDAY HOLIDAY DROPPED . . .Bowing to pressure from Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, Chicago aldermen, in their first full meeting of the new year, voted 35-9 to eliminate Good Friday as an official city holiday. Instead, city workers will be allowed to take Good Friday as their new "floating" holiday. Alderman John Buchanan, who crusaded against the change, said, "Before you know it, City Hall will open on Easter and Christmas, and we'll be selling liquor licenses to the highest bidder." But, Mayor Daley assured Chicagoans that "Christmas will remain [a holiday] until someone attacks it." [Chicago Tribune, MetroWest section, Section 2, 1/15/97]TEN COMMANDMENTS IN JEOPARDY . . .In 1995, the American Civil Liberties Union filed a suit on behalf of two Alabama residents, living in Etowah County, who wanted Circuit Judge Roy Moore to remove the Ten Commandments from his courtroom and to cease opening the court's session in prayer. On February 10, 1997, Montgomery Circuit Court Judge Charles Price ruled that the display of the Ten Commandments violated the U.S. Constitution and Alabama's state constitution by promoting religion on government property. Price's decision reversed his own, earlier ruling in November, 96, when he ruled that the Ten Commandments did not violate either the U.S. or Alabama constitutions. In that November ruling, however, Judge Price also banned all prayers in Alabama courtrooms. The Alabama State Supreme Court has blocked that part of his ruling. Alabama Governor, Fob James, believes that Judge Price's order clearly prohibits the free exercise of religion. Governor James has further stated that he will use all legal means, including state troopers and the Alabama National Guard, to keep the Ten Commandments in the courtroom. Judge Moore's attorney said that the ruling will be appealed. ACTION: Write The Honorable Fob James, Jr., Governor, State of Alabama, P.O. Box 302751, Montgomery, AL 36130-2751.E-mail: govjames@asnmail.asc.edu. FIRST ABORTION VOTE IN THE HOUSE . . .On February 13, 1997, the House voted, 220-209, to pass President Clinton's proposal (House Joint Resolution 36), which will release an additional $123 million in population control funds in March, even if the recipient organization performs or actively promotes abortion as a method of family planning. Following this vote, the House then passed Rep. Chris Smith's pro-life resolution, 231-194, which would restrict the recipient organizations from promoting abortion. Because of a special procedure, Smith's legislation could not be offered as an amendment to H.J. Res 36. Consequently, family planning funds will be released without any pro-life restrictions. And, Smith's pro-life legislation, as a separate bill, is vulnerable to a presidential veto. The Senate will be voting on H.J. Res 36 by the end of the month. |