Posted on 12/26/2005 11:20:10 AM PST by Coleus
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, M.D. (R-TN) today praised the pending passage of the “Support Our Scouts Act of 2005,” which is included in the Department of Defense Authorization bill and the Defense Appropriations bill.
Sen. Frist authored the legislation, which was co-sponsored by over 50 other senators, "to ensure that the Boy Scouts of America receives equal access to public facilities, programs, and forums and that the Defense Department will continue its support of Scouts and their Jamborees."
“The passage of this legislation is a victory for the Boy Scouts of America and the many other organizations that promote the development of our nation’s young people,” said Frist. “This legislation acknowledges the critical role that the Boy Scouts of America plays in the development of our nation’s youth and the importance of that role to the future of our country."
Frist added, “The Boy Scouts of America is a unique American organization that teaches our youth the importance of honesty, integrity and character. This legislation ensures that the Scouts are treated fairly by guaranteeing them equal access to public facilities, programs, and forums. It also enables the Scouts to continue their public service without the distraction of frivolous and spiteful lawsuits. I’m pleased that this integral Scouting tradition will be protected as they continue their noble efforts to mold the hearts and minds of the next generation of America’s leaders."
“For nearly a century the Boy Scouts have helped mold future generations of young Americans by preparing them to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes,” said Roy Williams, Chief Scout Executive of the Boy Scouts of America. “Too often in recent years the Boy Scouts has faced legal assaults by those who would deny it the same relationship with government as other youth and community organizations. This legislation will help put an end to these senseless attacks and allow the Boy Scouts to continue its vital mission of character development and values-based leadership training. We appreciate Sen. Frist’s authorship of this legislation and encourage swift passage of the Support Our Scouts Act of 2005.”
Exclusion from government forums and facilities is the greatest legal challenge facing the Boy Scouts today, the Frist office said. In recent years, the Boy Scouts organization "has been under a legal assault by those who would deny it the same relationship with government as other youth and community organizations," it was stated.
The “Support Our Scouts Act of 2005” guarantees the Boy Scouts’ right to equal access. The legislation removes any doubt that federal, state, and local agencies may welcome Scouts to hold meetings and go camping on public property by making clear that the Congress considers the Scouts a “youth organization,” Sen. Frist said.
The act also clarifies that federal agencies cannot provide less support to the Scouts than the agency has in the past, except under certain special circumstances, it was stated.
High praise for Senator Frist. High scorn for the ACLU who side with lawsuits against the Boy Scouts of America but support NAMBLA. The ACLU says they know what is best for our young people, give me a break!
This is a good move by Dr. Frist, and I hope he pursues this and does not bow out when the sledding gets too icy from his many liberal colleagues in both parties.
Many Boy Scouts are our future soldiers of America. Where else would they put it?
revulsion and fear are 2 different emotions. These loonies on the left should sort this out a little better.
Sorry but the ACLU is funded by taxpayers! Frist and the Republican'ts haven't done 1 damn thing to stop their funding. Kill thier funding and you kill thier lawsuits!
Same thing with tons of leftist lawsuits. They collect attorney fees via government funding or under a private attorney general theory with the collaboration of leftist judges. The dirty little secret is that much of pro bono work isn't really pro bono.
Not one damn lawmaker on either side of the aisle has done anything to stop the funding of the ACLU, but at least a lot of republicans are trying to limit some of the atrocities supported by them!
Umm no the ACLU is not. You are confusing it with the Government Program that makes Lawyers available to Welfare Recipients and other poor people. Cannot remember the name of it right now. Anyone help us out?
The ACLU (AKA America's Communist Lawyers Union) is funded by private money. See below from their website. The ACLU was founded by Roger Baldwin, Crystal Eastman, Albert DeSilver and others in 1920. We are nonprofit and nonpartisan and have grown from a roomful of civil liberties activists to an organization of more than 400,000 members and supporters. We handle nearly 6,000 court cases annually from our offices in almost every state.
The ACLU has maintained the position that civil liberties must be respected, even in times of national emergency. The ACLU is supported by annual dues and contributions from its members, plus grants from private foundations and individuals. We do not receive any government funding. Learn more about joining the ACLU.
You are confusing that Goverment Legal Assistance organization and the ACLU. ACLU gets no Tax money.
ACLU is not funded with tax payer money.
It was my understanding that the ACLU is not funded entirely with taxpayer money but it does recieve some federal funds.
Wrong organization. That is that Goverement Legal Agency, not the ACLU
"The ACLU (AKA America's Communist Lawyers Union) is funded by private money."
Not true. Read the law and look at the letters the ACLU sends to cities, stats or anyone else they sue. They get paid from tax money, does not matter if the win or lose.
The law says that they can collect for bringing a suit for civil rights and it does not matter if they win or lose.
Unless you are claiming that because the cost of the Damages awarded to a Plaintiff are used to cover the ACLU costs for representing them as "Taxpayer money"? Sorry those costs are paid no matter WHO represents the winner. Claiming that as "Taxpayer money" going to the ACLU is incredibly, incredibility intellectually dishonest. EVEN if the Congress passed a law banning such awards to the ACLU it would be an Unconstitutional imposition of Congressional Authority on the Judiciary. Sorry but you are just wrong all the way around on this.
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