Congress recently returned to Washington, D.C., after taking a short July 4th recess. In the next few weeks, the following bills will be debated and voted on by your members of Congress. If you have concerns, questions or comments about any of the bills listed below, contact your two U.S. Senators and U. S. Representative in Washington, D.C., at 202/224-3121.

Child Custody Protection Act -- (S 601 & HR 1218 ): This legislation would make it a federal crime for any adult, other than the parent, to transport a minor across state lines for the purpose of obtaining an abortion. In addition, the bill would protect and strengthen the 30+ state laws, which require parental consent or judicial involvement in a minor’s abortion decision. Current Status: HR 1218 was passed by the House, 270-159 on 6/30/99. History: The House passed this legislation in 1998, but the Senate could not get the necessary 60 votes to end a filibuster, so the bill died in the Senate.

American Land Sovereignty Protection Act -- (S 510 & HR 883): This legislation would require explicit Congressional approval, by 2002, for all United Nations “Biosphere Reserves” and “World Heritage” sites, otherwise they would all be rescinded. Currently 67 such sites in the U.S. have been designated by the UN, including Monticello, the Statue of Liberty and Liberty Hall. On a large scale, the Everglades, Aleutian Islands, Mammoth Cave, the Hawaiian Islands and the US Virgin Islands have been declared “Biosphere Reserves.” While the current designations do not give the UN power to dictate how the US government or private landowners manage their property, the sponsors of this legislation fear that they could be a first step toward international interference and control. Current Status: HR 883 passed in the House on 5/20/99 by a voice vote. HISTORY: Last session, the House passed similar legislation, but it died in the Senate because the committee chairman did not allow committee hearings.

Flag Protection Amendment: This constitutional amendment would amend the Constitution to allow Congress to ban desecration of the flag. History: The flag amendment, if passed, would override two Supreme Court decisions: 1) in 1989 the court struck down the flag protection laws of 48 states on grounds that they violated First Amendment free speech rights; and 2) in 1990, the court negated an anti-desecration law passed by Congress. Current Status: In June, the House passed the amendment for the third time in four years, by a vote of 305-124 (19 more votes than the 2/3 needed to pass a constitutional amendment). It now moves to the Senate, where in the past, there have not been enough votes to pass the bill. If passed by both chambers, 3/4ths of the states must also ratify the amendment.

Children’s Internet Protection Act -- (S 97 & HR 543): This legislation would require the use of filters on school and library computers to block materials harmful to minors (i.e. pornography) on the Internet. Current Status: S 97 was passed by the Senate. The House companion bill, HR 543, was passed as an amendment to the Consequences for Juvenile Offenders Act -- HR 1501. A conference committee will work out the differences in HR 1501 and S 97.

Marriage Tax Elimination Act -- (HR 6): This legislation would remove the unfair tax discrimination policy that currently charges a married couple about $1,400 a year more than if they had lived together unmarried. Current Status: A vote by the full House is expected this week.

The Privacy Protection Act of 1999 -- (HR 2337): This legislation would repeal sections of the 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibilities Act that set the national ID in place. According to Rep. Paul (R-TX), sponsor of the bill, “Under the provisions of the 1996 law, no American will be able to get a job, open a bank account, apply for Social Security or Medicare benefits, purchase a firearm or even take an airplane flight unless their state’s drivers’ license conforms to the national ID.” Current Status: Just introduced 6/24/99.

The Hate Crimes Prevention Act -- (S 622 & HR 1082): This legislation would amend current law to add “sexual orientation,” “gender,” and “disability” to the list of protected groups to be given special protections under the hate crimes law. If this legislation passes, crimes against homosexuals will be treated more seriously, with greater penalties, than the same crimes against the other 98% of the population. Current Status: This language could be added as an amendment to the Commerce, Justice, State Appropriations bill.

Religious Liberty Protection Act – RLPA -- (HR 1691): This legislation would restore the general rule that state or local officials may not substantially burden religious exercise. It also expressly forbids jurisdictions from unreasonably banning churches or otherwise imposing land use regulations that discriminate against religious exercise. Some pro-family groups have opposed RLPA because of its reliance on the commerce power of Congress. Current Status: RLPA was passed by the Judiciary Committee and is expected to be voted on by the full House in the next few weeks.

The Charitable Choice Expansion Act of 1999 -- (S 1113): This legislation, introduced by Sen. Ashcroft (R-MO) would allow faith-based groups to participate in delivering services, such as housing, drug treatment, and assistance to seniors. During the 1996 debate over the welfare reform law, Sen. Ashcroft authored the original Charitable Choice provision that enabled churches and other faith-based organizations to help provide job training and related services to welfare clients. Current Status: Committee hearings have not been held.

Fasting & Prayer Resolution: On June 29, the House rejected, 275-140, (short the 2/3rds needed) a resolution calling for the nation “to observe a day of solemn prayer, fasting, and humiliation before God.”