Week Ending February 29, 2008 - Washington, DC

Is oil up or is the dollar down? / Protect America Act still stuck in House - Security of our nation at risk / Global Aids bill (PEPFAR) deal reached / Pelosi says no to protecting America / Victories in the Senate: Indian Health bill goes pro-life / Ultrasound becomes a federal issue / One in four Americans changed their faith / Professor to be jailed and whipped for having coffee with student

TWO NEW CHAIRMAN'S REPORTS AVAILABLE - The January 25, 2008 and February 13, 2008 issues of the Religious Freedom Coalition Chairman's Report is now available online. These new issues contain information on Pledge petition deliveries to the Senate and details of the Democrat party drive to turn the Global AIDS fund into a honey pot for abortion groups. Includes more stories about "freedom" in Saudi Arabia. Both new reports are in PDF format.

THE PRESIDENT

PROTECT AMERICA - This morning I participated in a White House conference call on the Protect America Act which Speaker Nancy Pelosi has allowed to expire. White House spokesman are making it very clear to anyone who will listen that our national security is at risk. There are now reports separate from the White House that indicate our intelligence services cannot obtain information on possible terrorist activity because of the refusal of the House to extend this bill. See the House section for more details.

OIL IS NOT UP, THE DOLLAR IS DOWN - In January of 2001 as George W. Bush was being sworn in the US dollar was worth more than a Euro. A Euro could be bought for just 93 cents. As of today it takes $1.47 to buy one Euro. The price of a oil in Europe has been virtually unchanged for the last 12 months at about 65 Euros a barrel. If the value of the dollar were the same as it was in January, 2001 oil would cost less than $60 a barrel and gasoline would be under $2.00 a gallon. The Bush Administration, Wall Street and the Federal Reserve have deliberately allowed the dollar to fall to "help exports." Someone needs to explain to me how $3.00 plus a gallon gas helps drive exports.

THE HOUSE

GLOBAL AIDS BILL STAYS PRO-LIFE - With the death of committee chairman Tom Lantos the controversy of the Global AIDS Bill (known as PEPFAR) has ended. Democrat and Republican leaders have written a compromise bill that restored pro-life previsions that were so acceptable a voice vote was used to approve it in the House Foreign Affairs Committee. The Lantos version would have eliminated all pro-life language and made the bill a honey pot for abortion groups. Click here for summary of compromise bill. NOTE: PEPFAR is great as is, however, there is no guarantee that radical speaker Nancy Pelosi will not try to turn it back into a fund to abort little black babies in Africa.

PROTECT AMERICA? PELOSI SAYS NO - Despite intense pressure from the White House and the bipartisan passage by an overwhelming majority in the Senate radical Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi refuses to allow a vote on the Protect America Act. This is not about policy, it is about cash. Trial lawyers give huge amounts of money to democrat congressmen. The Protect America Act prohibits trial lawyers from suing telephone companies that give data on terrorists to our government. Pelosi wants the trial lawyers to be able to sue the phone companies on behalf of those suspected of terror ties.

THE SENATE

INDIAN HEALTH ACT VICTORY - This week the U.S. Senate passed Senator David Vitter's amendment to S.1200, the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, prohibiting the use of federal Indian Health Service (IHS) funds for abortions, except to save the life of the mother, or in cases of rape or incest of a minor. On winning Senator Vitter said, "This is truly an important victory for the pro-life movement and for the unborn. We now need to work to make sure that this provision remains in the final bill as it continues to House-Senate legislative conference."

PRO-HEALTH OR PRO-ABORTION? - The Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy Act (S-1042) which is sponsored by Senator Ted Kennedy and Republican leader McConnell may actually help abortion clinics get more clients. The bill would add numerous restrictions on the use of ultrasound that could force crisis pregnancy clinics to stop the service. The use of ultrasound machines to show women their unborn babies saves countless lives each year. Our office is working for clarification on various aspects of this "bipartisan" bill and will keep you informed.

RELIGION AND CULTURE

ONE IN FOUR AMERICANS CHANGED THEIR FAITH?- About one in four Americans have left the faith in which they were raised in favor of another religion. If changes from one Protestant denomination to another are included in the figures then almost one out of two have changed their faith or denomination. While atheists represent only a few percent, the number of non-churched is staggering. The PEW survey found that those unaffiliated with a particular faith is over 16% and in the ages 18-29, that number jumps to about 25%. Click here for full survey details.

OUR OTHER INTERNET SITES -have you visited my other sites? Read about and watch a video about my 2007 fact finding mission on Iraqi Christian refugees at: www.christianrefugees.blogspot.com

Which is better to stimulate the economy, tax rebates or fixing the nations roads? Check www.roadsnotrebates.com.

Would you like to make comments on these updates? They can be read and commented on at www.murrayonthehill.com.

My Political action committee site can be viewed at www.gingpac.org.

TWO NEW CHAIRMAN'S REPORTS AVAILABLE - The January 25, 2008 and February 13, 2008 issues of the Religious Freedom Coalition Chairman's Report is now available online. These new issues contain information on Pledge petition deliveries to the Senate and details of the Democrat party drive to turn the Global AIDS fund into a honey pot for abortion groups. Includes more stories about "freedom" in Saudi Arabia. Both new reports are in PDF format.

INTERNATIONAL

ISRAEL TO INVADE GAZA - New Iranian rockets smuggled into the Gaza Strip are raining down even deeper into Israel killing and maiming Israeli women and children. The response of the Western media is to show photos of a dead Palestinian child they claim was killed by Israel return fire. After nearly two years and thousands of rocket attacks Israel may finally have had enough. An invasion of the Gaza Strip that would include the arrest of HAMAS leaders and a "change in regime" could come within the next week. Click here for more.

SAUDI PROFESSOR TO BE WHIPPED - A university professor in Saudi Arabia has been sentenced to 180 lashes and eight months in jail for having coffee with a female student. His lawyer says the well-respected Saudi teacher of psychology at Umm al-Qra University in Mecca, was framed by the religious police. Dr Abu Ruzaiz, a married man in his late 50s did not know the student would be alone when he arrived at the coffee shop, he said. Earlier this month I reported on a 37-year-old American businesswoman who was thrown in jail for sitting with a male colleague at a Starbucks coffee shop. When we allow Sharia law in the United States the same arrests will occur here. Click here for UK story.

DEATH FOR INTERNET ARTICLE PART V - We are headed to month three since an Afghan student, Sayed Parwiz Kambakhsh, was sentenced to death for copying a paper from the Internet that the courts there deemed "blasphemous" to Islam. Advocates of religious freedom should contact their congressman and ask them for information on what is being done to save this man's life.

Visit this site: http://thereligionofpeace.com/

JUST IN - ARCHBISHOP KIDNAPPED - Gunmen have kidnapped the archbishop of the Chaldean Catholic Church in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul and killed three of his aides, his church says. See BBC story.

VISIT OUR INTERNET STORE

OUR INTERNET STORE - We have lots of great Christian themed products at our Internet store. Not only are there books and CD's, but everything from candy to jewelry. Unlike Amazon and other major Internet stores, we do not sell porn and satanic materials right beside Christian books. Please take a look. The store is located at www.rfcstore.com.
Contributions to the work of the Religious Freedom Coalition can be made at www.rfcnet.org.

Week Ending February 15, 2008 - Washington, DC

Nancy Pelosi takes away ability of President Bush to spy on terrorists / Global Aids stalls in House / 29 GOP congressmen call it quits / Two incumbent congressmen lose seats in Maryland primary / Indian Health Act and abortion / Senate to recess / Sacrifice for Freedom memorials / What is Coltan? / Death for Internet article still possible

THE PRESIDENT

PRESIDENT LOSES ABILITY TO FIGHT TERROR- In a stunning move, San Francisco radical Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has blocked passage of the bill that gives authority to the President to fight terror. At midnight Saturday all intelligence gathering by the Administration against terrorists all over the world will be curtailed because Pelosi refused to bring the Protect America Act to a vote. Oddly Pelosi had time to issue contempt citations against two former Bush staffers, to try to arrest them because they will not testify before one of her committees.

THE HOUSE

AIDS BILL STALLS? - The President's Emergency Program For Aids Relief (PEPFAR) was scheduled for a vote in the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, but the hearings have been put off due to the death of its chairman, Congressman Lantos (D-CA). Democrats are insisting that funds to fight AIDS in Africa be used for abortions and President Bush has indicated he will veto the bill if that is the case. Click here to read the Administration's position on PEPFAR funding.

29 GOP CONGRESSMEN OUT - There are now 29 Republican congressmen who have either outright resigned or announced that they will not run for reelection this year. (This includes Bobby Jindal who resigned to become governor of Louisiana.) With that many incumbent Republicans leaving, we need as many good conservatives as we can find to fill the slots. A good friend of mine, Woody Jenkins, a true social conservative who fights for the Christian values this nation was founded on has announced that he will run for the seat vacated in Louisiana by Congressman Jindal. He is one of many seeking seats of departing GOP congressmen.

TWO CONGRESSMEN LOSE IN MARYLAND - In the middle of the presidential primary, people forget that there are other candidates on the ballot. In Maryland there were both Democrat and Republican primaries for Congress as well. And two incumbents lost their seats. Both were defeated because they had run afoul of the party's activist base.

Reps. Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD) and Albert Wynn (D-MD) are from different parties. Neither had been involved in a scandal, and there had not been recent redistricting. Both lost because they were not ideologically in sync with their party's base.

Congressman Gilchrest, the Republican, voted with Democrats more often than with his own party, and his constituents had enough. Groups such as the Club for Growth spent nearly $1 million to dump him. He did not vote with social conservatives and I am glad to see him go. Wynn, the Democrat, had the opposite problem, having sided with business more often than with his left-wing constituency.

THE SENATE

INDIAN HEALTH ACT - As I have previously noted, social conservative Senators led by Senator Vitter (R-LA) have offered an amendment to prohibit the use of funds in the Indian Health Act for abortion. In response the Democrats have offered the following language: "Nothing in this Act shall be construed to effect or otherwise modify provisions of current Federal law with respect to the funding of abortion" as a side-by-side to Vitter's pro-life amendment. If passed, that language would essentially gut Senator Vitter's amendment. Please contact your Senator and ask him to support Senator Vitter's Amendment and reject the Democrats' pro-abortion amendment.

SENATE TO RECESS - The Senate went into recess Thursday night without a vote on the Indian Health Act and will remain in recess all of next week in honor of President's Day. The Senate will reconvene at 5:30 PM on Monday, February 25th.

RELIGION AND CULTURE

SACRIFICE FOR FREEDOM - A new group, Sacrifice for Freedom, is working to honor those who have fallen in the current conflict while giving their families a daily visible reminder of the nation's gratitude toward them. Sacrifice for Freedom is delivering to families a beautiful three dimensional memorial for their homes. The cost of the memorials are $250 each and so far they have been delivered to over 400 families who have lost loved ones to the cause of freedom in the current conflict. You can designate a family to receive a memorial if you contribute sufficient funds to deliver it to them. For information click here or on the image of the memorial.

ALL NEW CHAIRMAN'S REPORT - The January 4, 2008 issue of the Chairman's Report is now available online. This new issue contains details of "under God" in the Pledge petition deliveries to the Senate and first hand accounts of the huge Right to Life march in Washington. Read about adding a pro-life amendment to Indian Health Services. There is also Information on the church bombings in Iraq. Click here to read in PDF format

INTERNATIONAL

WHAT IS COLTAN? - Coltan' is the African colloquialism for columbite-tantalite, a metallic ore that is used in the manufacture of your cell phones and other devices to keep them cool. About 80% of this material comes from Africa, primarily the Democratic Republic of the Congo where a bitter war has been waged for a decade killing as many as five million people. The war has gone on unnoticed by the world and financed for the most part by "conflict coltan." Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) has expressed an interest in legislation to stop the sale of coltan as a means of stopping the continued slaughter in that nation.

DEATH FOR INTERNET ARTICLE PART III - It has now been nearly a month since an Afghan student, Sayed Parwiz Kambakhsh, was sentenced to death for copying a paper from the Internet that the courts there deemed "blasphemous" to Islam. I and others continue to push the Department of State and the White House for information on his fate but as of now we have no answers.

VISIT OUR INTERNET STORE

OUR INTERNET STORE - We have lots of great Christian themed products at our Internet store. Not only are there books and CD's, but everything from candy to jewelry. Unlike Amazon and other major Internet stores, we do not sell porn and satanic materials right beside Christian books. Please take a look. The store is located at www.rfcstore.com.
Contributions to the work of the Religious Freedom Coalition can be made at www.rfcnet.org.

Week Ending February 8, 2008

More than 180 Presidential nominees blocked / The President at the prayer breakfast / Veto the House AIDS bill? / Stimulus package passes, but what will it stimulate? / Romney who? / Saudi "freedom" / Death sentence for Afghan student unchanged / A Russian dictator?

NEW CHAIRMAN'S REPORT - The all new January 25, 2008 issue of the Chairman's Report is now available online. Click here to read in PDF format

THE PRESIDENT

THE PRESIDENT'S NOMINEES- Most people are familiar with the fact that Democrat leader Senator Harry Reid is blocking several judicial appointments made by President Bush. Most do not know that he is also blocking appointments to many federal departments as well, including the FAA. There are now 180 important posts that are unfilled because the Democrats who control the Senate want to play partisan political games. To see how serious this has become read the President's remarks of this week.

THE PRAYER BREAKFAST - The President's remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast this week centered on prayer. He concluded saying, "I believe in the power of prayer, because I have felt it in my own life. Prayer has strengthened me in times of personal challenge..." Click here for full statement.

THE HOUSE

VETO AIDS BILL? - The Presidents' Emergency Program For Aids Relief (PEPFAR) has increasingly morphed into a bill that provides funding for groups that view prostitution as just another business, despite AIDS related issues. Some of the groups are brutally honest in saying that an aborted baby can't catch AIDS from the mother. Chairman Lantos' Democrat controlled committee has distorted PEPFAR, which up to now supported the highly successful ABC approach to stopping AIDS in Africa. A - Stay abstinent, B- If you can't be abstinent ,be faithful. C - If you can't stay faithful, use a condom. Under PERFAR the A and B would be forgotten and condoms and abortion pills would be passed out.

The State Department has prepared a letter outlining the problem with the reauthorization of PEPFAR , with the changes made by Democrats. Click here to read.

THE SENATE

STIMULUS PASSES - The Senate Democrats wanted to increase the "stimulus" package from $150 billion to over $200 billion but were blocked by Republicans. Some of the Democrat add ons were pure pork. The tax rebate feature of the stimulus package recommended by President Bush was previously passed by the House. Total cost is $151 billion this year and another $16 billion next year. The government will have to borrow this money and we, the taxpayers, will have to pay it back with interest. When you get your $600 check, keep in mind that the interest you will pay on it in taxes over the next 20 years will be about $1,500 at current rates.

Will the money be used by consumers to buy cheap Chinese junk as the Congress hopes? I'll use my check to pay my credit card. If most others do that as well, the stimulus will fail and the economy will stay in recession. Check www.roadsnotrebates for some answers.

RELIGION AND CULTURE

ROMNEY WHO? - Two days after "Super Tuesday" Mitt Romney announced that he has suspended his campaign for president. On the front pages it looked like he had a major victory on Tuesday, but that was not the case. He actually only won two primaries. In his home state of Massachusetts he received only 51% of the vote. He also won the Mormon state of Utah. The other victories were small caucus states. All told Romney won fewer actual primaries than Mike Huckabee. I was in Little Rock with Governor Huckabee on Super Tuesday and I have written my reflections on that day which can be read at www.gingpac.org.

ALL NEW CHAIRMAN'S REPORT - The January 4, 2008 issue of the Chairman's Report is now available online. This new issue contains details of "under God" in the Pledge petition deliveries to the Senate and first hand accounts of the huge Right to Life march in Washington. Read about adding a pro-life amendment to Indian Health Services. There is also Information on the church bombings in Iraq. Click here to read in PDF format

INTERNATIONAL

SAUDI FREEDOM? - An American businesswoman strolled down the street in the Saudi capital with Neil Bush, the president's brother, talking about all the "freedom" people have in the despotic kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Many Americans who are making lots of money in Saudi Arabia turn a blind eye to the Islamic terror there. But this particular businesswoman found out the hard way. Two weeks after the stroll with Neil Bush, she was arrested at a Starbucks for sitting with an unrelated male, a business partner. She was taken to jail, strip searched, and forced to sign a false confession. (See story) Meanwhile the head of the Anglican church says the West should accept Sharia law. Question of the day: is Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams totally nuts, or just blind to injustice. (See Story in UK paper)

DEATH FOR INTERNET ARTICLE PART II? - For two weeks I have reported on an Afghan student, Sayed Parwiz Kambakhsh, who had been sentenced to death for copying a paper from the Internet that the courts there deemed "blasphemous" to Islam. Bush officials told me the matter must be handled "quietly" and the story has vanished from the American press. It is still very much in the news in the UK where the Independent reports that our Secretary of State has publicly promised to talk to the Afghan president about the matter. Why is this not news in the United States? (See story)

RUSSIAN DICTATOR? - Our media and our Congress just can't seem to find any problems with the despotic Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. But the media is hounding Russian president Vladimir Putin as a dictator. They point out that the election next week, in which Putin is not even running, is rigged. Their proof? No funds have been set aside for a run-off election. No one bothers to make the point that we do not have a presidential run-off election in the United States if no one gets 51% of the vote. The real problem the media has with Russia is that it has become a Christian nation that challenges US efforts to secularize the world.

VISIT OUR INTERNET STORE

OUR INTERNET STORE - We have lots of great Christian themed products at our Internet store. Not only are there books and CD's, but everything from candy to jewelry. Unlike Amazon and other major Internet stores, we do not sell porn and satanic materials right beside Christian books. Please take a look. The store is located at www.rfcstore.com.
Contributions to the work of the Religious Freedom Coalition can be made at www.rfcnet.org.