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Street's Ousting Of The Boy Scouts An Act Of Political Cowardicehttp://www.theeveningbulletin.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=16997240 http://tinyurl.com/qhhrm 08/02/2006 By: GREGORY J. SULLIVAN, Special To The Evening Bulletin The decision by Mayor John Street and supported by the Fairmount Park Commission to punish the Cradle of Liberty Council of the Boy Scouts of America for its adherence to the organization's long-standing prohibition on openly homosexual members and leaders is the triumph of political correctness over sound policy. What is more, it is a betrayal of an organization and, most especially, the young boys who desperately need the moral instruction of the Scouts more than ever. Since...

The fear of lawsuits from the American Civil Liberties Union has driven 216 Boy Scout, Cub Scout and related troops across the state - including 35 in North Jersey - to sever their charters with public institutions. Many of them, including Troop 124 in Northvale, have enjoyed a long friendship with municipalities that have sponsored the Scouts, provided them with funding and offered a comfortable meeting space. But an ACLU threat has sent troops scrambling for new sponsors. The Boy Scouts of America issued a directive last April for all troops to transfer their sponsorship by the end of the...

This is the text of the "Support our Scouts Act".SEC. 8173. SUPPORT FOR YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS- (a) Short Title- This Act may be cited as the `Support Our Scouts Act of 2005'.(b) Support for Youth Organizations- (1) DEFINITIONS- In this subsection--(A) the term `Federal agency' means each department, agency, instrumentality, or other entity of the United States Government; and(B) the term `youth organization'--(i) means any organization that is designated by the President as an organization that is primarily intended to--(I) serve individuals under the age of 21 years;(II) provide training in citizenship, leadership, physical fitness, service to community, and teamwork; and(III)...

WASHINGTON -- Republican leaders quietly included in a sweeping defense spending bill a paragraph designed to pre-empt state and local anti-discrimination laws - a change that could make it easier for youth groups, notably the Boy Scouts, to bar gays and others from their functions. The provision says that any state or town government that receives federal housing and community development funds cannot deny the scouts or other youth groups equal access to public meeting places. ...The entire Connecticut delegation supported the defense measure, and when some members learned Tuesday what they had endorsed, they were not pleased. ...Rep. Christopher...

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...

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) came to Fort A.P. Hill July 27 to address the 2005 National Scout Jamboree. Foremost on his mind was the importance of the U.S. military’s support to the scouts gathered before him. “Federal support for the jamboree -- what we are doing here today -- is important in helping to train our brave men and women in the military,” he said. Frist said he was proud to announce the “Support Our Scouts Act of 2005” as an amendment to the Department of Defense Authorization Bill that he sponsored. “The vote was ninety-eight to...

August 2, 2005 The legal bullies at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) sustained a substantial loss with the Senate's passage this week, by a 95-0 vote, of the Support Our Scouts Act of 2005. The Act, which is an amendment to the Department of Defense authorization bill, is expected to pass in the House. The Act establishes that the Boy Scouts, and any group officially associated with them, cannot be discriminated against in any way through the denial of access to federal funding or public facilities. "It's about time Congress stepped in to protect the Scouts from the ravenous...

August 2, 2005 The legal bullies at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) sustained a substantial loss with the Senate's passage this week, by a 95-0 vote, of the Support Our Scouts Act of 2005. The Act, which is an amendment to the Department of Defense authorization bill, is expected to pass in the House. The Act establishes that the Boy Scouts, and any group officially associated with them, cannot be discriminated against in any way through the denial of access to federal funding or public facilities. "It's about time Congress stepped in to protect the Scouts from the ravenous...

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate voted Tuesday to allow U.S. military bases to continue to host Boy Scout events, responding to lawsuits and a federal court ruling aimed at severing relationships between the government and the youth group. In a 98-0 vote, the Senate approved the provision continuing the hosting of Boy Scout events as part of massive bill setting Defense Department policy for next year. After the vote, Senate leaders decided to put off further debate and votes on the overall bill, probably until fall when Congress returns from a monthlong break. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., a...

In a 98-0 vote, the Senate approved the provision continuing the hosting of Boy Scout events as part of massive bill setting Defense Department policy for next year. After the vote, Senate leaders decided to put off further debate and votes on the overall bill, probably until fall when Congress returns from a monthlong break.

WASHINGTON — The Senate voted Tuesday to allow U.S. military bases to continue to host Boy Scouts events, responding to lawsuits and a federal court ruling aimed at severing relationships between the government and the youth group. The vote came one day after four adult Scout leaders from an Alaska troop were killed on the opening day of the National Scout Jamboree at the Army's Fort A.P. Hill in Bowling Green, Va., when a tent pole apparently struck a power line. In a 98-0 vote, the Senate approved the provision continuing the hosting of Boy Scout events as part of...

WASHINGTON - The Senate voted Tuesday to allow U.S. military bases to continue to host Boy Scouts events, responding to lawsuits and a federal court ruling aimed at severing relationships between the government and the youth group. The vote came one day after four adult Scout leaders were killed on the opening day of the National Scout Jamboree at the Army's Fort A.P. Hill in Bowling Green, Va., when a tent pole apparently struck a power line. In a 98-0 vote, the Senate approved the provision continuing the hosting of Boy Scout events as part of massive bill setting Defense...

Just hours ago, I introduced an amendment to the Defense Authorization Bill ... "Support Our Scouts Act of 2005." You may recall that I wrote to you about this subject a few months ago. I wanted to give you an update ...

July 21st, 2005 - WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, M.D. (R-TN) today announced that he would introduce the “Support Our Scouts Act of 2005” as an amendment to the Department of Defense authorization bill. The amendment will ensure that the Boy Scouts of America are treated fairly by guaranteeing their right to equal access to public facilities, forums, and programs. This provision 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. The following is...

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...