Senate bill attacks free speech

WASHINGTON (BP)--Senate Democrats and a few Republicans have slipped into a lobbying reform bill a section that would drastically impact the mission and function of churches and nonprofit organizations -- such as Focus on the Family and the Family Research Council -- that seek to inform voters on moral issues.

One of the provisions of S. 1 now being considered by the Senate would require churches and other nonprofits, classified as “grassroots lobbying firms,” to report to the House and Senate any time they spend money to communicate to their constituents on public-policy issues that are before Congress. Failure to comply could result in thousands of dollars in fines and even criminal penalties.

“This is one of the most significant violations of free exercise of religion and the freedom of political speech in our nation’s history,” Jay Sekulow, chief counsel for the American Center for Law and Justice, wrote in a column posted on the ACLJ website. “Some have said that this plan is the most comprehensive regulation of political speech that has ever been put forward by Congress.”

Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council wrote in an e-mail to supporters, “This should be called the 'Silence the Citizens Act of 2007.' ... Even pastors who would encourage the members of their congregation to call their senators, their congressmen, about marriage, about life issues, could theoretically fall under the provisions of this measure.”

While pro-family groups say much of the bill is good, they are encouraging constituents to contact their senators and ask them to strike Section 220 -- the section that could impact churches and church-related groups -- from S. 1. Focus on the Family has created a petition on the matter available at focuspetitions.com.

“Protect your right to know,” Focus on the Family's James Dobson said on his radio broadcast Jan. 10. “Protect our right to tell you what we know.”

Dobson said the objective of the legislation’s supporters is clearly to silence the grassroots groups that led millions of Americans to contact their elected officials and affect the outcome of votes on Supreme Court justices, the partial birth abortion ban, broadcast decency fines and the Unborn Victims of Violence Act.

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