Posted on 06/09/2005 12:14:58 PM PDT by OriginalChristian
Press Releases
FRIST ANNOUNCES THE “SUPPORT OUR SCOUTS ACT OF 2005”
Senator Bill Frist, M.D. March 9th, 2005 - WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, M.D. (R-TN) will introduce legislation in the next few days to ensure that the Boy Scouts of America are treated fairly by guaranteeing their right to equal access to public facilities, forums, and programs. This legislation addresses attempts to exclude the Boy Scouts from such facilities at the federal, state, and local levels, and legal moves by groups to proscribe longstanding Defense Department support to the Scouts.
“Since 1910, Boy Scout membership has totaled more than 110 million young Americans,” said Frist. “Today, more than 3.2 million youths and more than 1.2 million adults are members of the Boy Scouts. This unique American institution is committed to preparing our youth for the future by instilling in them values such as honesty, integrity, and character.
“The Boy Scouts depend on equal access to public facilities and participation in public programs and forums. The legislation I’ll be introducing ensures that the Boy Scouts are treated fairly by guaranteeing their right to equal access to public facilities, forums, and programs. This legislation will allow the Boy Scouts to fulfill its mission without the distraction of defending itself against senseless attacks.
“I look forward to introducing this bill and ushering it through the Senate in a bipartisan manner so that the great work of the Scouts can continue without distraction. I have been in contact with Scout supporters in the House who plan to introduce my legislation there as well.”
The “Support Our Scouts Act of 2005” guarantees the Boy Scouts’ right to equal access in a number of ways. The legislation removes any doubt that Federal agencies may welcome Scouts to hold meetings and go camping on federal property. It ensures the Defense Department can continue providing support consistent with U.S. law. The legislation also ensures state or local government entities do not deny Boy Scouts equal access to public facilities, programs, or forums. Finally, the act clarifies that federal agencies cannot provide less support to the Scouts than the agency has in the past.
Once introduced, this legislation will be reported to the appropriate Senate committee for further consideration.
http://www.traditionalvalues.org/modules.php?sid=2317
Provides a list of the Senate co-sponsors of this Bill for your information.
Please support the Senate in supporting the BSA.
Thanks very much...
I thought Sen. Nelson (DINO-NE) had already proposed legislation like this.
This is friggin' great. Call out the Liberal jackasses and make 'em vote against Mom and apple pie too. Let's see how Hitlery votes on this one.
BTTT
Oh, I see! It's all clear to me now! No wonder the Gay Mafia of Portland, Maine wants to ban them from the schools!
Can you quantify the "great financial harm" done to the Boy Scouts? I don't recall hearing that argument made before.
This is from March, what has happened since then?
They've been kicked out of rent-free public and private places and lost most United Way and foundation funding. Plus, they incurred the cost of a vicious lawsuit that went all the way to the Supreme Court.
Hard to quantify. But not giving Scouts access to public facilities tends to marginalize them. United Ways have used this as one of the reasons for not donating to the Scouts.
My apologies.
Nothing has happened lately.
Perhaps I shouldn't have posted this in the first place.
I don't like wasting people's time.
Here is a link to the most current status:
Senate bill 642:
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:s.00642:
House bill 01337:
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:h.r.01337:
Correction, not most, some.
Largely on the East and West coasts.
The Heartland still values the Scouts overall.
This is my litmus test every year before I decide on my contribution. I have a friend from college who is a Distrcit Executive in the St. Louis Area Council BSA. I call him every year and ask him the same question. As long as the UW supports the Scouts, they will get my support.
BUMP!
They allocate the same amount to the BSA regardless of whether you give or don't give.
Your money will be counted against their allocation, but it doesn't necessarily go to the BSA.
Plus UW takes out a huge chunk for overhead, admin. expenses, etc.
Why don't you give the money directly to your local BSA council? Then you KNOW it goes to them, and not to some fat cat UW administrator expense account on YOUR dime.
It's the death of a thousand cuts. The ACLU, at the behest of local gay-rights organizations, bring suits against local Councils to try to deny them the right to use public parks, military bases, etc. The BSA defends the suit, and usually wins. But then the time and money that would otherwise have been spent on improving the program goes into lawyers' fees, depositions, etc. This way, with this law, the suits are cut off before they're brought and the BSA saves time and money.
UW supports more than just the BSA that I'm involved in; Catholic Charities comes to mind. The BSA will get my donation, and I suspect many others, directly if the UW goes junkyard dog on them in favor of the 8% gay populous.
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