Archive - Tom Strode
High court muddles Ten Commandments issue
The U.S. Supreme Court issued split rulings June 27 on public exhibits of the Ten Commandments that appeared to do little to clarify the issue.
In 5-4 decisions, the justices invalidated displays of the Ten Commandments in two Kentucky courthouses while upholding a stand-alone monument of the Decalogue on the Texas capitol grounds. more »
By Tom Strode - Jun 30, 2005
Topic: Citizenship, Church and State, Legislation, National
Senate vote on Bolton delayed
John Bolton, the President’s nominee as United Nations ambassador, continues to await a confirmation vote.
That vote may take place early the week of June 13-17, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said June 9, according to The Washington Post. more »
By Tom Strode - Jun 15, 2005
Topic: Citizenship, National
Ban on abortions in military hospitals stands
The House of Representatives has turned back an effort to remove the ban on most abortions in overseas U.S. military hospitals.
The House voted 233-194 against an amendment that would have permitted abortions for all reasons in medical facilities operated by the armed services in foreign countries. more »
By Tom Strode - Jun 15, 2005
Topic: Life, Abortion, Citizenship, National
Progress made in anti-trafficking effort, State reports
The campaign to combat sex trafficking and other forms of forced servitude globally is advancing, according to the U.S. State Department.
The State Department’s fifth annual Trafficking in Persons report, which was released June 3, provides an analysis of the efforts by 150 countries to deal with an issue that involves prostitution and child sex tourism, as well as forced labor and coercive military service. more »
By Tom Strode - Jun 15, 2005
Topic: Family, Abuse, Sexual Abuse, Citizenship, Human Rights, Social Issues
Feds may enforce ban on marijuana, justices rule
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled June 6 a federal drug-control law supersedes a state measure permitting the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes. more »
By Tom Strode - Jun 15, 2005
Topic: Family, Addictions, Substance Abuse, Citizenship, Legislation
High court rules unanimously for religious liberty
The U.S. Supreme Court has delivered an important victory for religious liberty.
The justices unanimously upheld May 31 a federal law that protects the religious free-exercise right of prisoners. more »
By Tom Strode - Jun 15, 2005
Topic: Citizenship, Religious Liberty
Specter expects Senate to override veto on stem cells
The stem cell battle continues in Congress, with Sen. Arlen Specter, R.-Pa., warning President Bush he expects to have enough votes to override a veto of a bill that would provide federal funds for destructive embryonic research. more »
By Tom Strode - Jun 15, 2005
Topic: Life, Stem-Cell Research, Citizenship, Legislation
Senate confirms Brown, Pryor, two others
The U.S. Senate overcame filibusters and confirmed both Janice Rogers Brown and William Pryor as judges on federal appeals courts in votes June 8 and 9, respectively. more »
By Tom Strode - Jun 15, 2005
Topic: Citizenship, National
Supreme Court takes parental notification case
The Supreme Court will rule on a state law requiring parental notification for underage girls seeking abortions.
The high court announced May 23 it would review a lower court decision striking down New Hampshire’s parental notification law. more »
By Tom Strode - May 13, 2005
Topic: Life, Abortion, Citizenship, Legislation
USCIRF urges recognition of new religious freedom violator
The U.S. Commission on International Freedom urged for the first time that Uzbekistan be designated by the State Department as one of the “countries of particular concern,” a category reserved for governments that have “engaged in or tolerated systemic and egregious violations of religious freedom.” The USCIRF also deleted India from its list of countries recommended for CPC designation. more »
By Tom Strode - May 13, 2005
Topic: Citizenship, Human Rights, Religious Liberty