Volume XIV, Number 30b
DOMESTIC FOCUS
November 5 - 9, 2007
"Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand!" (Matthew 3:2)
1. LAW OF THE SEA TREATY (LOST) HEADED FOR VOTE ON SENATE FLOOR
On Wednesday, October 31, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee passed the Law of the Sea Treaty (LOST) by a vote of 17 to 4. LOST is opposed by every Republican presidential candidate, but is favored by President Bush and most Democrats in the Senate.
LOST creates a commission to oversee the rights and access that all signatory countries have in regard to international waters: the International Seabed Authority. Those sitting on the board of the International Seabed Authority would decide which countries can gain access to which waters. Given the anti-American sentiment already prevalent at the United Nations, a second governing body would likely fare no better.
Ratification of this treaty would also subject the U.S. to a foreign tribunal with unaccountable, unelected judges. One can assume the court would not favorably judge U.S. interests such as military activity and business developments when it has expressed its dedication to giving preference to developing countries.
Furthermore, military and intelligence activity may also be subject to LOST and the International Seabed Authority. Military intelligence is necessary to protect U.S. borders and prevent terrorist attacks. Yet if the governing bodies of the treaty decide otherwise, U.S. military operations could be severely hindered. The convention is also designed to promote industry in developing countries by forcing developed countries to give them access to technology. Our military abilities would be compromised and freely given to developing, and potentially hostile countries that could then use our technologies against us.
Please call your Senators at 202-224-3121 and urge them to oppose LOST. (Concerned Women for America)
· We urge all of our readers to not only PRAY that this treaty fails in the Senate, but also to TAKE ACTION on this issue. Call your own Senators and voice your opinions on LOST -- and please do this quickly!
· "Therefore, faith without works is dead." (James 2:17) "Thus far you may come but no further, and here shall your proud waves be stopped!" (Job 38:11)
2. ENDA VOTE DELAYED BUT NOT "DEAD"
ENDA - A vote on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act continues to be delayed while proponents fight over adding so-called "Transgendered" persons back into the bill. ENDA would provide homosexual employees and job seekers special federal protection, requiring employers to hire homosexuals and sexually confused people - regardless of their own religious views or how it will affect their businesses or clienthle. White House advisors still say they have encouraged President Bush to veto. (FRC Prayer Targets)
· Continue to Pray that ENDA will be defeated, and that, should it pass; the President will veto it.
· But let your communication be,Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. (Matthew 5:37)
3. BUSH CALLS SCHIP BILL "A TRICK ON THE AMERICAN PEOPLE"
President Bush on Wednesday again vowed to veto a renewed push to expand a popular children's health care program, saying it would play a 'trick' on Americans by moving the country closer to a federalized health system. "Halloween's an appropriate day to talk about it because there's a bill moving through Congress that's disguised as a bill to help children, but I think it's really a trick on the American people," the president told attendees of the Grocery Manufacturers Association/Food Products Association's fall conference.
"If they keep passing this legislation, I will keep vetoing it,' Bush vowed, saying the latest version is even more expensive than the first, which he vetoed October 3. 'So instead of pushing to federalize health care all at once, they're pushing for the same goal through a series of incremental steps," Bush said. "With each step, they want to bring America closer to a nationalized system where the government dictates the medical care for every citizen." (CNN)
· Lord, we thank You for the wisdom and foresight to expose and veto this bill. We ask for our freedom over health care to be continually protected. We speak the blessings of wisdom, truth and understanding over President Bush that he may walk faithful before You.
· "Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me. He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight." (Ps. 101:6,7)
4. DEMOCRATS PROPOSE "THE MOTHER OF ALL TAX INCREASES"
Taxing Families into Ruin - Rep. Charlie Rangel (D- NY), chairman of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee, together with Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and other liberal leaders, wants to raise our taxes. Historically, lowering taxes has stimulated the economy, increased revenues and led to economic expansion. Raising taxes will hurt families, slow the economy and decrease revenues. Liberals in Congress seem driven to increase taxes, targeting middle and upper middle class taxpayers as "the wealthy." Last week Rep. Rangel introduced an estimated $3.5 trillion tax increase that would raise the capital gains tax rate from 15% to 19.6% and place a surtax of 4.6% on people making more than $150,000 a year. Mr. Rangel would apply the surtax to adjusted gross income, protecting the tax from deductions like charitable contributions, home mortgage deductions, and state and local taxes. Rangel's plan would end the Bush tax cuts, and increase the top income tax rate from 35% to 44%, impacting individuals, small-business owners and farmers, who make up about 75% the upper tax bracket.
Meanwhile, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) has introduced a bill to eliminate the Alternative Minimum Tax, extend the 15% capital gains and dividend rates, set to expire in 2010, and give taxpayers a choice between filing under the current tax system or a new option with just two income tax brackets, 10% for joint filers with incomes under $100,000 and 25% for those with higher incomes. It includes a $25,000 standard deduction and a $3,500 per person exemption - $39,000 for a family of four. There would be no other exemptions or loopholes and no Alternative Minimum Tax. Ryan projects that revenues would be about the same under his system but that it would stimulate the economy, increase economic growth and job opportunities, and simplify our complex and daunting tax filing process. God commands His people to pay taxes, but also sets standards for financing church and government. In our system, we can hold our leaders to account, and we must. (FRC Prayer Targets)
· Praise God for a system that allows us to hold our leaders accountable for their management of our national budget including levels and kinds of taxation. May we both pray and use our authority as citizens to make the process better. May our representatives defeat Rep. Rangel's "mother of all tax increases," and may better legislation gain traction, and may our burdensome tax system be simplified and our tax rates lowered. In the elections ahead, may we elect leaders who are committed to fiscal responsibility, and who will take action to reduce the National Debt, a huge burden we and our children already bear.
· Do justice to the afflicted and needy . Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked. (Psalms 82:3b,4)
5. H.R. 505: THE NATIVE HAWAIIAN GOVERNMENT REORGANIZATION ACT
"Aloha to the Constitution"
In the Hawaiian language Aloha is used as a traditional greeting or farewell. Yesterday 261 Members of the House of Representatives said Aloha to the principles set forth in the Constitution by voting in favor of H.R. 505, the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act. The bill declares that anyone with at least one ancestor indigenous to Hawaii would have a right to autonomy and self-governance and would require the U.S. to assist them in creating their own new separate government.
The U.S. Supreme Court in U.S. v. Sandoval declared that the U.S. Congress does not have the power to create an Indian tribe where one does not exist. Even more recently the U.S. Civil Rights Commission noted that this legislation "would discriminate on the basis of race or national origin and further subdivide the American people into discrete subgroups accorded varying degrees of privilege." These concerns meant nothing to supporters of the bill.
Thankfully the U.S. Constitution does exist and grants a system of checks and balances. The Bush administration issued a Statement of Administration Policy yesterday where his senior advisors recommended President Bush would veto the bill if presented to him. I enjoy a good luau as much as the next guy-but not at the cost of the Constitution. (Family Research Council)
· This bill sets a very dangerous precedent for, if it were to become law, then our sovereignty as a nation would be violated. Offer praise the President Bush "sees through" this danger, and that his administration has already issued a policy statement opposing it. Ask our Lord to strengthen the hand of this president as another bill may reach his desk that will need to be vetoed. In the meantime, when H.R. 505 reaches the Senate floor, pray for its demise there, too. Thank God for the system of checks and balances which our Founding Fathers wisely wrote into our Constitution . . . for such a time as this.
· Devise your strategy, but it will be thwarted; propose your plan, but it will not stand, for God is with us. (Isaiah 8:10)
6. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS IN THE NEWS
a. TEN COMMANDMENTS DECLARATION
Yesterday (Nov 1, 2007) the Religious Freedom Coalition participated in a news conference in the Rayburn House Office Building to promote Congressman Todd Akin's resolution recognizing the importance of the Ten Commandments. HR-598 would set aside May 2nd, 3rd and 4th of 2008 for Ten Commandments recognition.
b. TEN COMMANDMENTS IN THE CAPITOL?
Will radical left Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi allow a vote on placing the Ten Commandments in the Capitol Building like they are already displayed in the Supreme Court? Congressman Cliff Stearns (R- FL) earlier this year introduced HCON-12: a sense of the Congress resolution that the Capitol Architect place in a visible location the Ten Commandments. (Religious Freedom Coalition)
· Pray that the honoring of the Ten Commandments becomes a part of our nation's Capitol, for they are the basis of American law and certainly of the foundation of our nation. Over the head of the Speaker's chair in the House of Representatives are the words " In God we trust." Our nation needs to honor God in every way we can.
· "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom He hath chosen for His own inheritance." (Psalm 33:12)
7. NEW PRO-LIFE LEADER OFFERS BILL HONORING LIFE
Newly elected Congressman Dr. Paul Broun (R-GA) looked me in the eyes and told me it was God who wanted him in Congress because he was there against all odds. That is very true. The entire Georgia Republican political machine tried to defeat him in favor of a state Senator to fill the vacated seat of deceased Congressman Norwood. Congressman Broun is about to introduce his first legislation and it is a pro- life bill that would declare that a human life begins at conception. Dr. Broun is a practicing medical doctor who has come to Washington openly proclaiming his faith. The bill has not as yet "dropped" and I will inform you as soon as there is a bill number. (Religious Freedom Coalition)
8. DEPT. OF DEFENSE IGNORES LAW BANNING PORN SALES
The U.S. Department of Defense is ignoring a law which forbids the sale of pornography on military bases. In military exchanges throughout the world, our Department of Defense does a brisk business in the sale of pornography, both magazines and videos. In 1996, Congress passed the Military Honor and Decency Act which forbids the sale of pornography on military bases.
But the Department of Defense is defying the law and ignoring Congress, which banned pornography after sexual harassment of women in the military became a major problem and military families complained that children were exposed to pornography in the military stores. Now, 11 years later, the Department of Defense is still selling pornography. Porn is even sold in our nation's military academies.
When contacted about their ignoring the law, Department of Defense responded by saying they planned to continue selling pornography. Incredibly, the Department of Defense does not consider such publications as Penthouse, Playboy, Playboy's Nude Playmates, and Playmates in Bed magazines to be sexually explicit! That would come as a surprise to Hugh Hefner and the thousands of American soldiers who buy these magazines. (AFA ActionAlert)
· Urge your congressman to require the Department of Defense to obey the law. The publications listed above are a far cry from Betty Grable's legs in a poster. Dishonoring women dishonors God, for He made men and women to be helpmates for each other. Who is making the money from such sales of salacious material? Decree that these sales will be stopped as only God knows how best to do. Dry up the streams of muddy waters so that streams of living water may flow to our servicemen and women.
· "Treasures of wickedness profit nothing; but righteousness delivereth from death." (Proverbs 10:2)
9. J.K. ROWLING ANNOUNCES THAT A HARRY POTTER CHARACTER IS HOMOSEXUAL
NEWS IS CONDEMNED BY THE CHRISTIAN COALITION OF AMERICA
Roberta Coombs, President of Christian Coalition of America, was quoted in a number of publications around the world this past week concerning the announcement in Carnegie Hall, New York City, by the author of the Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling, that one of the main characters in the book/movie series is homosexual. Roberta Combs said: "It's very disappointing that the author would have to make one of the characters gay. It's not a good example for our children, who really like the books and the movies. I think it encourages homosexuality."
Here is an excerpt from: The United Kingdom's "Daily Mail": "JK Rowling may be a saint to millions of children and their parents, but today she is a sinner to a large slice of middle America. The 42-year-old Harry Potter author has become a hate figure to Christian evangelicals in the US since she outed Albus Dumbledore as gay. The mother-of three, who is worth £545 million, told a New York audience that the much loved head of Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry was homosexual. Talk shows in the Bible Belt have condemned her, web-sites have reviled her, and newspaper letter columns have been filled with complaints. And there are fears it may affect profits at Warner Bros who have a further two films to make and a dvd on sale this Christmas.
"One website received over 3,000 postings in a day - typical was the message: "I am a Christian who supported these books as they brought the joy of reading back to so many kids and adults. "Now, I will make sure I throw away all the copies I have, and no one in my family will ever read that trash again. What a huge disappointment and great loss for so many kids who could have enjoyed these books. She just ensured that many, many, more people will not buy these books."
Signs of a backlash have now emerged. Evangelical Christian groups in America have condemned the bestselling series as immoral and have urged parents to boycott the books and films. One Catholic school has already removed the novels from its library. Roberta Combs, president of the Christian Coalition of America, which boasts millions of members, accused Rowling of "encouraging homosexuality." (Christian Coalition of America)
· Because of the witchcraft involved in almost every page of the Harry Potter books, many Christians have not supported their children reading the books at all. Pray for the redemption of this woman whose writing talents need to speak for the Lord. Pray for the protection of the minds of the children whose parents and teachers do not understand the dangers the books pose. Praise the Lord for the saints who protest against that which is wicked.
· Repent that a generation has now been indoctrinated to follow a "potter" other than our God. Our God IS "the potter . . . and we are the clay." Pray that somehow the hearts of these young ones might come out of deception -- that witchcraft is "fun," and "harmless," and "only a game," to the TRUTH that sets all of us free -- the work of the Cross.
· "But now, O Lord, Thou art our Father; we are the clay, and Thou our potter; and we all are the work of Thy hand." (Isaiah 64:8)
10. 60 CHRISTIAN LEADERS CONSIDER NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER FOR ELECTIONS This Week, Worship Our Lord As . . . This name, Adonai, LORD is too sacred even to pronounce as it really is. Lord, Your name is all I need in this life to get by. I don't need wealth, fame, power -- all I need is You. You give me the fulfillment within that nothing else will ever satisfy. How beautiful is Your Name. (Taken from: Intimate Moments with the Hebrew Names of God, by Barri Cae Malin and Shmuel Wolkenfeld; Bridge-Logos Publishers; Gainesville, FL, 32614. ISBN: 0-88270-801-5)
A meeting of 60 Christian conservative leaders was held on Sunday following the Washington Briefing at the Values Voters Summit, with members of the group on their knees praying for our country. The only concrete decision that emerged from the meeting was an agreement to call for a national day of prayer during the week of Thanksgiving to ask for God's guidance and wisdom as the country heads into the election season. They will seek to obtain a declaration from President Bush. Bishop Harry Jackson, member of FRC's Pastors' Council and President of the High Impact Leadership Coalition spoke to reporters. He said evangelical leaders may not now be united over a 2008 Presidential candidate, but, like the people of Israel in Nehemiah's day who rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem and who covenanted to rally on the wall wherever the trumpet sounded in order to repel their enemies, "We're going to stay together and listen for the sound of the trumpet." (FRC Prayer Targets)
· May God lead our leaders to organize a National Day of Prayer at this important juncture, and may God's people across America respond with heartfelt prayer for our nation and its future!
· The Ninevites believed God. They declared a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth. When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust. Then he issued a proclamation in Nineveh:
"By the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let any man or beast, herd or flock, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish."
When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened. (Jonah 3: 5 - 10)
ADONAI (Adoni)
That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth. (Psalm 83:18)
Thank You that Your holy language is sacred. Your name is sacred. How I praise You for this knowledge. May I honor Your life in me, as I journey onward, desiring to do Your will. Blessed by Your Name!
Who We Are
On Capitol Hill This Week (the "OCAP") is published by Capitol Hill Prayer Partners. All scriptures are quoted from the King James Version of the Bible, unless otherwise noted. For further information about legislative matters on Capitol Hill, you may call the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask to be connected to the representative or senator of your choice.
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