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From CWALAC.org LAC Alerts - Main Page Dear Friends, With the liberal leaders in Washington facing criticism from their base, they are pushing their leftist legislative agenda to pander to their political allies and we are facing attacks on multiple issues. Homosexual Agenda President Obama has been under tremendous pressure from the homosexual activists for defending the Defense of Marriage Act and the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy. In response he has renewed his commitment to their agenda and is taking every opportunity to placate them including signing a Memorandum to extend some benefits to homosexuals in the federal government. And his efforts to appease the homosexual activists are being mimicked on Capitol Hill. Senator Harry Reid (D-Nevada) recently held a press conference to tout his commitment to the homosexual agenda and promised to pass "hate crimes" legislation before the August recess. "Hate Crimes" legislation represents an overreach of the federal government into state authority. It would create second-class citizens and violate the 14th Amendment guarantee of equal protection for all citizens under the law. On Thursday, June 25, the Judiciary Committee will hold a full committee hearing on the "hate crimes" legislation. Please call your Senators on the Judiciary Committee (see below) at 202-224-3121 and tell them to oppose "hate crimes" legislation because it is an unneeded power grab by the federal government and it subverts our national foundation of equal justice for all by granting special treatment to a class of citizens based on a perception of an individual's sexual preference. It is also possible that "hate crimes" could be attached as an amendment to the Defense Authorization bill like it was last Congress which would likely be voted on next week. It is important that you call your Senators at 202-224-3121 and ask them to oppose dangerous "hate crimes" legislation. Health Care Reform Also, the health care battle is beginning in earnest now. Sen. Ted Kennedy's Health, Education, Labor Pensions (HELP) Committee, under the leadership of Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Connecticut) began to mark-up their version of the health care bill. According to the Congressional Budget Office's (CBO) analysis, the bill will cost at least $1 trillion over 10 years while still leaving 36 million people uninsured. The CBO also estimates that under the proposed legislation, 15 million Americans-one out of every ten-would lose the health benefits they currently get from their employers. The draft legislation sets up Medical Advisory Councils appointed by pro-abortion Secretary of Health Kathleen Sebelius that will determine what types of treatments will be allowed based on cost type of analysis. The Kennedy plan would likely result in delayed or denied treatment which could be essential to you and your families. Essentially what we will have is government take-over of health care. Because of the number of amendments they have offered, Republicans have been accused of stalling or trying to derail this bill. However, Republican Senators have been shut out of the drafting process. When Sen. Roberts (R-Kansas) offered an amendment ensuring that federal health care programs (such as Medicare, or a new government insurance plan) would not be allowed to deny services based on the findings from comparative effectiveness research, it failed along a party-line vote. Since this amendment failed, federal programs will likely use the results from the comparative effectiveness to determine what services and items will be covered, which means rationing of our health care services. Please call your Senators and the Senators on the HELP committee (see below) today at 202-224-3121 and urge them to oppose the health care reform bill in its current form. Please tell them that health care reform cannot include a public option which will likely mean that your individual doctors/insurance/services will likely disappear. Also please tell them to oppose any plan that includes individual mandates for health care. Rallies Also, Patients United Now is organizing grassroots opposition to health care reform. If you would like to participate here are some upcoming rallies: Alaska Arkansas Indiana Louisiana Montana South Dakota Utah Abstinence Education President Obama's proposed budget for 2010 would end all federal funding for abstinence education programs, replacing them with so-called comprehensive sex education programs that prioritize condoms and other contraceptives over abstinence skill building. We have an opportunity to preserve abstinence education but we need your help. Please call your Representative and Senators at 202-224-3121 and ask them to include funding for abstinence education in this year's appropriations. Also, call Chairman Obey at 202-225-3365 and ask him to preserve abstinence education funding. Judiciary Committee Members
HELP Committee Members
Sincerely, The Legislative Department
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