Dear Friend,

We need your help now on two important issues.

Broadcast Indecency
On July 21st the U.S. 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the case of the Janet Jackson "striptease" during the 2004 Super Bowl game. The court claimed that this action was not "pervasive as to amount to 'shock treatment' for the audience," essentially stripping the FCC's ability to regulate inappropriate nudity on television.

This ruling follows one by the U.S. 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals which also went against the FCC and allows broadcasters to use the "F" and "S" words at anytime of day regardless if children are in the viewing audience.

After these two rulings, The Los Angeles Times correctly surmised that the FCC will be ineffective in its efforts to enforce decency regulations against networks.

In utter disregard of their public responsibility, the networks continue to blast our airwaves with indecent and obscene programs despite children in the viewing audience. The Protecting Children from Indecent Programming Act, S. 1780, would allow the FCC to penalize broadcasters for irresponsible programming - yet Senator Harry Reid (D-Nevada) will not bring this bill to the Senate floor for a vote!

Action: Please call your Senators at 202-224-3121 and ask them to contact Senator Reid and urge him to bring S. 1780 to the floor immediately for a vote. Please call Senator Reid at 202-224-3542 and ask him to bring S. 1780 to the floor immediately for a vote.

"Gays" in the Military
Representative Susan Davis (D-California), Chair of the House Armed Services Personnel Subcommittee is holding a hearing tomorrow, July 23, on the issue of "gays" in the military.

Responding to pressure from the gay activists, President Bill Clinton tried to rescind the regulation that excluded "gays" from the military in 1993 and enacted the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell Policy" without Congressional approval. After examining the policy and the regulation, Congress codified the regulation excluding homosexuals from military service but the question about homosexuality was dropped. As recently as June 9, Federal courts determined that exclusion of "gays" from the military is constitutional.

The sole function of our military is to ensure our national security. The men and women who serve in our armed services must focus on combat and what is absolutely needed to be victorious over our enemies. Cohesiveness and uniformity are essential elements in our armed services. The military is simply not the place for social experimentation!

Take Action: Please call the following Republican Representatives on the Armed Services Committee at 202-225-3121 before 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time and ask them to attend the hearing and question the witnesses on the consequences to our national security if the regulation to exclude "gays" from the military is repealed.

Duncan Hunter (California), Jim Saxton (New Jersey), John McHugh (New York), Terry Everett (Alabama), Roscoe Bartlett (Maryland), Buck McKeon (California), William Thornberry (Texas), Walter Jones (North Carolina), Robin Hayes (North Carolina), Todd Akin (Missouri), Randy Forbes (Virginia), Jeff Miller (Florida), Joe Wilson (South Carolina), Frank LoBiondo (New Jersey), Tom Cole (Oklahoma) Rob Bishop (Utah), Michael Turner (Ohio), John Kline (Minnesota), Candace Miller (Michigan), Phil Gingrey (Georgia), Michael Rogers (Alabama), Trent Franks (Arizona), Bill Shuster (Pennsylvania), Thelma Drake (Virginia), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (Washington), Mike Conaway (Texas), Geoff Davis (Kentucky) and Doug Lamborn (Colorado)

Sincerely,

Shari Rendall
Director of Legislation and Public Policy