Posted on 06/27/2006 7:38:12 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON - House Republicans intend to hold votes this summer and fall touching on abortion, guns, religion and other priority issues for social conservatives, part of an attempt to improve the party's prospects in the midterm elections.
The "American Values Agenda" also includes a proposed constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage — which already has failed in the Senate — a prohibition on human cloning and possibly votes on several popular tax cuts.
"Radical courts have attempted to gut our religious freedom and redefine the value system on which America was built. We hope to restore some of those basic values through passing this legislative agenda and renewing our country's commitment to faith, freedom and life," Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., said Tuesday.
The priorities are part of competing attempts by the two parties to appeal to target voters in the fall campaign, with control of the House and Senate at stake. It's unclear how many of these bills might clear Congress and reach President Bush's desk, given the controversy many will cause and the relatively short time remaining before the two-year Congress ends.
Still, political strategists argue that by bringing controversial issues to a vote, one party can broadly emphasize differences with the other on an issue such as abortion, and increase the determination of its own supporters to go to the polls. Several GOP aides, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Republicans were hoping to increase voter intensity among conservatives.
At the same time, a vote on a controversial issue can occasionally present individual lawmakers in difficult races with a politically tough choice.
Democrats maneuvered successfully last week for a Senate vote on raising the minimum wage. Sen. Harry Reid (news, bio, voting record) of Nevada, the party's leader, said Tuesday they would "do everything within our power to stop a congressional pay raise from going through this year, and we're going to tie it to minimum wage."
On another issue, Democratic congressional leaders held a news conference during the day to unveil legislation calling for major changes in the new Medicare prescription drug program. "We will put seniors and people with disabilities first by bringing affordability, simplicity and reliability to the benefit," said Rep. Nancy Pelosi (news, bio, voting record) of California, the House Democratic leader.
The proposal would allow federal officials to negotiate directly with pharmaceutical companies on drug prices, and Democrats said the resulting savings would allow the government to eliminate a gap in coverage for many beneficiaries.
House Republicans, who have the ability to dictate the floor schedule, got a head start on their agenda during the day, winning approval of legislation designed to guarantee members of condominium associations or similar groups the right to display the American flag. The measure cleared with no dissent.
"Family, faith, patriotism and hard work bind us together as Americans. Our laws should reflect those priorities, and House Republicans are committed to the American Values Agenda, policies that stress the core values on which our nation was built," said Rep. Roy Blunt (news, bio, voting record) of Missouri, third-ranking member of the leadership.
Other bills are certain to spark controversy.
One would to strip the Supreme Court and other federal courts of jurisdiction over cases challenging the constitutionality of the Pledge of Allegiance. The legislation is a response to a 2002 Appeals Court ruling that held the pledge is unconstitutional because of the presence of the words "under God." A federal judge made a similar ruling last fall, citing the appeals court precedent.
Another measure would block the payment of attorney fees in challenges to the display of the Ten Commandments in public areas and other, similar church-state lawsuits.
An abortion-related proposal would require that some women seeking to end their pregnancies be informed the procedure "will cause the unborn child pain" and they have the option of receiving drugs to reduce or eliminate it. A separate measure would ban human cloning, a prohibition that cleared the House in the previous Congress.
Two measures relate to the rights of gun owners. One would prohibit the confiscation of legal firearms during national emergencies, barring practices such as the one that officials said arose in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina hit.
The measure is backed by the National Rifle Association, which has hailed the recent passage of a state law in Louisiana. "The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina became the proving ground for what American gun owners have always feared: the day that government bureaucrats throw the Bill of Rights in the trash and declare freedom to be whatever they say it is," Wayne LaPierre, NRA executive vice president, said in a statement posted on the organization's Web site.
House Republicans also said they would hold a vote on legislation to apply gambling laws to the Internet.
and your point is?????
and your point is?????
what I see is politicians more worried about re-election than anything else. It's awfully convenient to bring up the lightning rod issues during election time and then forget about them after being re-elected.
THAT is my point, and if you don't see that these politicians are just playing you then you aren't paying attention. I'm fed with with the entire Congress. I just want to see some !@#$ get done
Of course, you're entitled to your opinion. I'm truly sorry that you've become so terribly impatient with the political process which, by its nature in our system, tends to work slowly. Its participants do tend to focus on getting elected and reelected and when they are in office they have to do a great deal of partnering and horse trading to get as many of the issues they believe in enacted into law. I think that more "!@#$" gets done more rapidly in political processes based on a totalitarian model but, apart from getting the trains to run on time, much of the "!@#$ they accomplish is not to everyone's liking.
By the way, 31 interesting and literate posts since you joined FR on June 27th is great. Thank you and, if no one has welcomed you earlier, let me be the first.
Well to be honest the system works best with a deadlocked government and not one party in total control... To me, they are all politicians playing the same game.
But I think the political climate is more volitile than ever and it seems they are increasingly bomb throwing and getting away from the big issues facing this country.
Personally I couldn't care less about a flag burning amendment or banning gay marriage (especially since most states are taking care of it anyway) when we have much more important things to worry about.
By the way, thanks for the welcome!
This is why the House will hold on to their majority. I want the Senate to go down. Not really, but too bad we could not teach them a lesson of some type. The senate is not going to change. It will continue to be RINO country forever...well maybe not forever, but at least in the foreseeable future.
What is a 'wife-beater's shirt'?
Wow!! It is a tank top. guys mostly wear them.
In other words they're going to take a bunch of votes that get nothing done.
Thanks, and why is it considered a 'wife-beater's shirt?
And it also shows the GOP in Congress as afraid to make a REAL dcision about illegal immigration, taxes and other issues that have BROAD implications. Those issues will alienate less of the US population, than forcing religious/'Family Values' issues down their throats. What type of Gun, Abortion or Religion bill will get passed? A couple of feelgood, do nothing position papers. We can actualy get something done in congress, do it.
and your idea of a "REAL" decision is....?
It's fun to put the Dims on the spot, but all things considered I'd be a lot happier if the Senate just confirmed the darn judges.
P.S. I tend to agree with you but then the devil is always in the details, isn't it?
Enjoy it now because come November 8th these will all disappear until the 2008 election cycle.
Thanks, and why is it considered a 'wife-beater's shirt?
lol. I think that maybe some guy was wearing it while hitting his wife and some liberal saw it and renamed the shirt. You know how those perfect liberals can be...lol.
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