FW #36 -- 9/7/97

CONGRESS RETURNS TO WASHINGTON . . .

After a month-long August recess, Congress will return to Washington after the Labor Day holiday to begin work on 13 appropriations bills that fund most domestic programs. Many of these appropriations bills will have pro-family amendments offered when they are debated on the House or Senate floor. Contact your two U.S. Senators and/or U.S. Representative about the issues of concern to you. Call: (202) 224-3121 or (800) 522-6721.

Issue #1: Labor/ HHS/ Education Appropriations

Istook/Manzullo Amendment -- provides for parental notification at federally-funded Title X clinics. Currently, in order for Title X (10) clinics to receive their federal money, federal guidelines require that clinics provide contraceptive/abortifacient drugs or devices to anyone, including minors, without parental notification.

Goodling Amendment -- seeks to prohibit the U.S. Education Department from using federal funds for the development or implementation of national tests. Although federal law specifically prohibits the U.S. Education Department from being involved in curriculum issues, the Department has begun the process of developing national tests without congressional approval. [FRC Legislative Hotline, 8/15 - 8/22/97] Rep. Goodling (R-PA), along with many of the nation's governors, educators, legislators and members of Congress (both Democratic and Republicans) believe that more testing will not boost the academic achievement of American students.

Coburn Amendment -- strikes the provision in the Labor/HHS/Education Appropriations bill that gives the Secretary of Health and Human Services the power to fund particular needle exchange programs (NEP's). A poll released August 20, 1997 by the Family Research Council reveals that most Americans -- 62% -- oppose needle exchange programs and 60% favor drug abstinence and drug rehabilitation programs as a more effective way to stop the spread of AIDS/HIV. [Family Research Council Press Release, 8/20/97, FRC's Direct Newsline (202) 393-6397.]

Issue #2: Foreign Appropriations

Smith Amendment -- reinstates the "Mexico City" policy, established by the Reagan administration after a U.N. conference in Mexico City. The "Mexico City" policy eliminates funding for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) until the group terminates its involvement with China's coercive population control program, which routinely forces mothers to have abortions and undergo forced sterilization, or until China ends its brutal one-child policy. Rep. Smith's (R-NJ) amendment also prohibits funding of international organizations that commit or promote surgical abortions or work to repeal pro-life laws in foreign countries. [Congressional Update, Pro-Life Business Pending in Congress, Report by RNC/LIFE, 8/9/97]

Paul Amendment -- eliminates all taxpayer funding for population control programs in the foreign aid budget. According to the Family Research Council, these population control programs have "abused and harmed people worldwide, trampled on the religious and cultural values of other nations, and hurt America's diplomatic relations with many foreign countries." [FRC Hotline, 8/15 - 8/22/97]

Gilman/Pelosi Amendment -- prohibits any abortions done for "family planning." Unfortunately, since Planned Parenthood claims all the abortions it performs are not done for "family planning", but instead, are done for "reproductive health," this substitute amendment would not actually stop any abortions from being performed. This substitute amendment will be offered by Reps. Gilman (R-NY) and Pelosi (D-CA). [FRC Hotline, 8/15 - 8/22/97]

Issue #3: Treasury/Postal Appropriations

Dewine Amendment -- restricts federal employees' health plans from paying for abortions. Because Congress understands that abortions should not be financed with taxpayer dollars, this provision has been in place since 1984, except for FY 1994 and FY 1995.

Issue #4: Defense Appropriations

Harman Amendment / Murray Amendment -- Rep. Harman (D-CA) in the House and Sen. Murray (D-WA) in the Senate introduced amendments to repeal the current law (Public Law 104-106), so that abortion-on-demand would authorized in military hospitals. Both amendments were defeated. Because both the House and Senate have now voted to retain the ban on abortions in military hospitals, it appears likely to survive for at least another year. However, when Congress considers the Defense Appropriations bill for FY 98 in the next few weeks, supporters of abortion on military facilities may try to revisit the issue. [FRC Hotline, 7/11/97]

Issue #5: Interior Appropriations

Defund the National Endowment for the Arts In July, the House of Representatives zeroed out the National Endowment for the Arts. However, supporters of the federal arts subsidy in the Senate managed to return $1,060,000.00 into the agency's coffers. Although the NEA has not been authorized by Congress in over a decade, Congress has continued to appropriate money for the agency each year. According to Family Research Council, "taxpayers and working families are tired of their money being spent on controversial "art" projects containing pornography and homosexual themes, and which sneer at traditional religion. The full Senate is expected to take up the issue of NEA funding upon their return after Labor Day. [FRC Hotline, 8/15 - 8/22/97]

THE INSPIRATIONAL NETWORK (INSP) . . .