Hostettler Introduces his Anti-Establishment Clause Bill Again

Jun 27, 2006 by Guest Blogger

John Hostettler (R-IN) has introduced - for the 5th time - the Public Expression of Religion Act, which would "eliminating the award of attorneys' fees to plaintiffs who bring cases based on the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment -- the phrase in the Constitution that sets up the separation of church and state", according to the Roundtable on Religion and Social Policy.

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House Saves Program for Measuring Results of Government Assistance

The House voted Jun. 13 to partially fund the Census Bureau's Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP), saving what is considered an essential tool for assessing how well government assistance programs are working.

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Congress Drops the Ball on Minimum Wage Again

Congress failed last week to raise the federal minimum wage which has stagnated for nearly a decade. The failure to act means its unlikely American workers will see a minimum wage increase any time soon. In the Senate, two measures to raise the minimum wage were voted down. In the House, an appropriations bill that contains a minimum wage increase is being kept from the floor, and Republicans have simultaneously rebuffed a Democratic effort to link an increase in the minimum wage with a bill that would nearly repeal the estate tax.

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Muslim Charity's Prosecution Reveals Questionable Evidence

Criminal prosecution of the Holy Land Foundation (HLF), a Texas-based Muslim charity shut down by the U.S. Treasury Department in 2001, has provided a glimpse into the government's use of evidence to justify seizure and freezing of charitable assets in the name of the war of terrorism. Pre-trial filings shows sanctions have been imposed against charities and their officials for contacting organizations that are not designated by the government as supporters of terrorism. The case also appears to depend on questionable foreign intelligence information and faulty translations.

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Nonprofits Sue Defense Dept. Over Surveillance

On June 14 the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed suit against the Department of Defense (DOD) on behalf if itself and six state affiliates over DOD's failure to respond to their Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. The request seeks records DOD has collected on over two dozen groups critical of the administration's war policies.

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Estate Tax Vote Postponed This Week

Jun 27, 2006 by Guest Blogger

We got word that the estate tax vote that may have been taking place in the Senate this week has been postponed and will not be taking place this week (or next week since they will be out for recess). This is good news. The longer they linger on holding this vote, the less of a chance it has of actually happening. The vote is not taking place this week likely because Majority Leader Frist (R-TN) knows he does not have the votes to overcome the necessary procedural hurdles.

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Lobby Reform Update: Shays, Meehan Introduce Bill, as Senate Reports on Charities Misuse

While the conference committee to reconcile House and Senate versions of lobby reform legislation remains in limbo, two House members have introduced a new, stronger lobby reform bill, and a Senate committee has called for an investigation into misuse of charities by Abramoff and others. New Shays-Meehan Bill On June 22, Reps. Christopher Shays (R-CT) and Martin Meehan (D-MA) introduced H.R. 5677, the Ethics and Lobbying Reform Act. The bill, an amalgamation of provisions supported by reformers that were left out of the House and Senate-passed bills, includes:

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    U.S. Promoting Paralysis by Analysis Worldwide

    Jun 27, 2006 by Guest Blogger

    What's bad for America is being touted as great for the rest of the world: By year's end, the European Union is expected to adopt REACH, a proposal that would "require manufacturers to test industrial chemicals used in the manufacturing process to gather health and safety data." REACH stands for "Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals." The bill "has prompted a U.S.-led coalition of 1

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    Shays Looks to Limit State Secrets Privilege

    Rep. Christopher Shays (R-CT) has introduced a bill to prevent the administration from abusing its all-powerful state secrets privilege. Based on the 1953 Supreme Court ruling in Reynolds v. United States, the state secrets privilege allows the executive branch to declare certain materials or topics completely exempt from disclosure or review by any body.

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    Nonprofits Protest Barrier to Emailing Congress

    A coalition of more than 100 nonprofits is protesting a new filter used by some congressional offices to block spam, arguing it also inhibits constituent communications. The filter, or "logic puzzle" as it is called, requires senders to answer a question before a message is sent, making it more difficult for online advocacy campaigns that use forms.

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