01 Oct 1998 Scoop: October 1, 1998

Contents* Dispelling Falsehoods about Assisted Suicide Ban
* Senate Urged to Block Implementation of Unapproved Treaty
* Save Lives With a New FDA Leader
* Campaign to Expose Union Opposition to “Civil Rights”
* Senate Issues Discussed
* Group Supports 20 Challengers
* Pro-Life Coalition in Congress Throws Down Gauntlet on Parental Notification
* Key Senators Reject Amendment Banning Child Pornography
* “Marriage Savers” Program Effective is Stemming Divorce Rate

Strategy Lunch: Activities at the September 30 & 23 Strategy Lunches chaired by Paul Weyrich of the Free Congress Foundation and Amy Ridenour of The National Center for Public Policy Research, and sponsored by Coalitions for America (202/546-3003).

Dispelling Falsehoods about Assisted Suicide BanCongressman Vince Snowbarger (R-KS) said the American Medical Association (AMA) and others are creating an unjustified and “not very accurate” frenzy of opposition to the “Lethal Drug Abuse Prevention Act” (H.R. 4006). H.R. 4006 would prohibit the distribution of drugs for use in assisted suicides. Responding to AMA concerns that the passage of H.R. 4006 would lead to Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) raids on doctor’s offices, Snowbarger countered that the DEA already has the power to investigate doctors thought to be illegally dispensing drugs. Snowbarger said H.R. 4006 would tighten up the investigative process by creating a standard under which future investigations would be conducted. Contact Rep. Snowbarger at 202/225-2865.

Senate Urged to Block Implementation of Unapproved TreatyMarlo Lewis of the Competitive Enterprise Institute distributed copies of a letter to Senators Robert Byrd (D-WV) and Christopher Bond (R-MO) urging them to support, at an October 1 conference committee meeting, House (“Knollenberg Amendment”) language forbidding the Environmental Protection Agency from implementing the provisions of the Kyoto global warming treaty unless and until the U.S. Senate ratifies the treaty. Contact Marlo Lewis at 202/331-1010 or [email protected] (www.cei.org).

Save Lives With a New FDA LeaderAmy Ridenour of The National center for Public Policy Research distributed National Policy Analysis #215, “To Save Lives, End Business as Usual at the FDA.” The paper questions why the Senate would want to ratify the nomination of Jane Henney as FDA commissioner, given her record as FDA Deputy Commissioner of Operations under former Commissioner David Kessler. Contact Amy Ridenour at (202) 507-6398 or [email protected], or download the paper at https://nationalcenter.org/NPA215.html.

Campaign to Expose Union Opposition to “Civil Rights”Bishop Earl W. Jackson of the Samaritan Project said teachers unions are the “biggest enemies of school reform.” Jackson took issue with union opposition to school choice, something he considers to be “the greatest civil right issue of the next century.” Jackson will kick off a “campaign to “expose the oppressive corruption” of teacher’s unions with regard to education reform at a press conference at the National Press Club in Washington on October 8 at 9:30 am, to be followed with a rally at the National Education Association at 12:30 pm. Contact Bishop Jackson at 757/546-8815 or [email protected].

Senate Issues DiscussedSenator Jim Inhofe discussed election prospects, predicting 62 GOP Senators next year; the September 29 Senate military readiness hearing; and U.S. policy options in Kosova. He asked if anyone supported putting U.S. military ground troops in Kosova. No one did. Contact Senator Inhofe via Gary Hoitsma at 202/224-4721.

Group Supports 20 ChallengersTerry Allen of the staff of Rep. Steve Largent discussed the “New Conservative Leadership Fund,” a multi-candidate committee supporting 20 conservative challengers in close Congressional races. He invited conservatives to an October 1 reception the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill. Call 703/527-0301 for event information or Terry Allen at 202/225-2211.

Stanton Meeting: Activities at the September 18 Stanton foreign and defense policy meeting chaired by Laszlo Pasztor of Coalitions for America and sponsored by Coalitions for America (202/546-3003).

Pro-Life Coalition in Congress Throws Down Gauntlet on Parental NotificationMike Schwartz of the House Family Caucus and Congressman Tom Coburn’s (R-OK) office said a bipartisan coalition of pro-life congressmen is seeking to secure the passage of one of the most conservative-minded funding bills for the Labor, Education and Health and Human Services Departments in recent memory. In particular, the bill contains language added by Congressman Ernest Istook (R-OK) to require federally-funded clinics to notify parents five days in advance of supplying their children with birth control drugs or devices. To derail a demand by Congressman Jim Greenwood (R-PA) to replace the Istook amendment with a weaker substitute that would satisfy social liberals, Schwartz said conservative Republicans have received the promise of 16 pro-life Democrats that they would support legislation containing the Istook amendment. Schwartz said he is encouraging people to call the district offices of congressmen still thought to be undecided on their support for the Istook amendment: Jerry Costello (D-IL), Robert “Bud” Cramer (D-AL), Tom Davis (R-VA), Tillie Fowler (R-FL), Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD), David Hobson (R-OH), Tim Holden (D-PA), Chris John (D-LA), Ron Klink (D-PA), Scott Klug (R-WI), Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), John LaFalce (D-NY), Rick Lazio (R-NY), William Lipinski (D-IL), Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ), Thomas Manton (D-NY), Frank Mascara (D-PA), Marge Roukema (R-NJ), Charles Stenholm (D-TX), Jim Turner (D-TX) and Fred Upton (R-MI). Congressional leaders have not yet scheduled a vote on the Labor/Education/HHS appropriations bill. Contact Mike Schwartz at 202/225-2701.

Key Senators Reject Amendment Banning Child PornographyPaul Webster of the House Family Caucus said an amendment passed in the House of Representatives prohibiting the possession of child pornography was intentionally left out of companion legislation in the Senate. Under existing law, it is legal to possess three or fewer items of child pornography. Congressman Bob Riley (R-AL) attached an amendment banning the possession of any child pornography to a bill introduced by Congressman Bill McCollum (R-FL) making it a crime to use the Internet as a tool to entice children across state lines (H.R. 3494). In crafting companion legislation to H.R. 3494 in the Senate, Webster said Senators Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Arlen Specter (R-PA) left out the Riley language, fearing it would be used to prosecute parents for family photos containing naked children. Webster called this fear “egregious” and a “red herring” protecting child pornography. He said supporters of the Riley amendment are phoning Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-MS) to urge him to add the Riley amendment’s language to H.R. 3494’s Senate companion. Contact Paul Webster at 202/225-4638.

“Marriage Savers” Program Effective is Stemming Divorce RatePaul Webster of the House Family Caucus said the Community Marriage Policy/Covenant program promoted by the national Marriage Savers ministry, where implemented as city policy, has caused divorce rates to fall by as much as 10 times the national average for decline. In Modesto, California the divorce rate fell by 35% between 1986 and 1996. Peoria, Illinois, which now requires marrying couples to participate in the Marriage Savers program, has reported divorce rates are down 22% since the program was adopted in 1991. The Marriage Savers program is used by over 30 religious denominations and has been adopted by 86 cities as of April of 1998. Contact Paul Webster at 202/225-463 *