Senate Votes this Month

The United States Senate began June 2006 tackling two of the most important issues before Congress affecting the family in America: the Marriage Protection Amendment (S.J.Res. 1), and the Death Tax Repeal Permanency Act of 2005 (H.R. 8). Both failed. But at least both made it to a vote. Few significant victories in Washington are ever won on the first try. As John Ashcroft says, for every crucifixion, there is a resurrection.

Both measures failed to garner the 60 votes necessary for cloture. The constitutional amendment, S.J.Res. 1, went down 49-48 with three senators not voting. H.R. 8 went down 57-41—much closer but still short nonetheless. For passage, S.J.Res. 1 would have required 67 votes, a two-thirds majority, for passage, and H.R. 8 would have just needed a simple majority. How did your senators vote?

Neither battle is over.

Estate Tax Repeal Compromise

House Ways and Means Chairman Bill Thomas has crafted a partial repeal of the estate tax, the Permanent Estate Tax Relief Act of 2006 (H.R. 5638). House Majority Leader Boehner could bring the bill up for a vote as early as Thursday, June 22.

CQ Today explained the bill "would permanently exempt from the estate tax income up to $5 million for an individual and $10 million for a couple. It would tax remaining assets at 15 percent, the same rate at which capital gains are currently taxed. Estates worth more than $25 million however would be taxed at 30 percent, or double the capital gains rate" (6/20/2006).

The House Republican Study Committee has reservations about the partial nature of the bill. The goal of the compromise is to overcome "procedural hurdles in the Senate" and "leaders in both chambers hope to clear [the bill] before the July Fourth recess" (CQ Today, 6/21/2006).

• Pray that Congress would pass "part 1" of the repeal of the death tax.

"The prince shall not take from the people's inheritance, thrusting them out of their possession" (Ezekiel 46:18).

Supreme Court

The Supreme Court's 2005-2006 terms ends in nine days on June 30^th. ABC News' Supreme Court Blog has a handy roundup of the expected opinions on the Court's remaining cases: "As the Supreme Court term winds down, we are still anxiously awaiting rulings in LULAC v. Perry, the Texas redistricting case, and Hamdan v. Rumsfeld, where the court will rule on the Bush administration's effort to bypass civilian courts and try suspected terrorists before military tribunals."

• Pray for wisdom for the justices in writing these final decisions.

"The LORD gave wisdom to Solomon, just as He promised him; and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a covenant" (1 Kings 5:12).

In looking to the 2006-2007 term, the Court agreed to hear a second case on partial birth abortion. CQ Today reports, in the 2000 Stenberg v. Carhart case, the Court struck down a state partial birth abortion ban because it lacked a "health exception" (6/19/2006). In response, Congress passed a federal partial birth abortion ban (PL 108-105). These cases are challenging that federal law. The NY Times reports the cases are Gonzales v. Carhart, No. 05-380, and Gonzales v. Planned Parenthood, No. 05-1382.

• Pray the Court upholds the partial birth abortion ban to prevent the slaughter of some of the unborn.

"You have been my God from my mother's womb" (Psalm 22:10).

Finally, the end of the Supreme Court term is also traditionally a time for retirement announcements. Sandra Day O'Connor announced her retirement on July 1^st last year. Some of our fellow praying friends are praying for another vacancy on the Court for President Bush's nomination to fill. To that request we add our hope that such a seat provide an opportunity for a significant idealogical shift to a more God-honoring justice.

• Pray for a true kairos vacancy on the Supreme Court.

"I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father's house have, because you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD" (1 Kings 18:18).

In the States

Operation Rescue reports that Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco signed an abortion "trigger law." That is, it "will only take effect if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade or the U.S. Constitution is amended to leave the legality of abortion up to individual states."

• Praise and glorify the Lord for states willing to stand up and protect life.

"And whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son" (John 14:13).

Legislative Update Archive

All Legislative Updates are produced by Timothy T.C. McGhee