KIM BALDWIN

IMPROVING HEAD START ACT OF 2007 -- H.R. 1429/ Head Start for School Readiness Act -- S 556 A bill to reauthorize the Head Start program included an effort to remove protections for potential employees from religious discrimination in federally funded jobs. In 2007, TIA also focused its legislative efforts on increasing congressional support for: • The End Racial Profiling Act (ERPA), which would prohibit law enforcement from relying on the race, ethnicity, national origin or religion in selecting which individuals to subject to traffic stops or other routine investigatory activities. • The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which would provide basic protections against workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. All three bills will be introduced with sponsors and assigned a bill number in the near future. "Increasingly, religion is being misused as a tool for advancing hate. • Introducing legislation reaffirming a basic principle – that all Americans should enjoy the strongest possible guarantee of freedom from religious discrimination and faith-based bigotry. In addition, TIA is also calling on Congress to conduct an in-depth investigation of the president's faith-based initiative. Former administration official David Kuo recently published a book, Tempting Faith, which makes serious allegations of government money flowing to fly-by-night religious charities rather than to more qualified organizations. Those in Congress who value religious pluralism must send a strong, unified message that taxpayer money must not be used to advance religious faith. H.R.1592/ S 1105-- Passage of a The Matthew Shepard Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007. Democratic and religious values call for equal protection for all people in all places. National hate crimes prevention legislation will help ensure equal protection under the law for all Americans.

IMPROVING HEAD START ACT OF 2007 -- H.R. 1429/ Head Start for School Readiness Act -- S 556 A bill to reauthorize the Head Start program included an effort to remove protections for potential employees from religious discrimination in federally funded jobs. In 2007, TIA also focused its legislative efforts on increasing congressional support for: • The End Racial Profiling Act (ERPA), which would prohibit law enforcement from relying on the race, ethnicity, national origin or religion in selecting which individuals to subject to traffic stops or other routine investigatory activities. • The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which would provide basic protections against workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. All three bills will be introduced with sponsors and assigned a bill number in the near future. "Increasingly, religion is being misused as a tool for advancing hate. • Introducing legislation reaffirming a basic principle – that all Americans should enjoy the strongest possible guarantee of freedom from religious discrimination and faith-based bigotry. In addition, TIA is also calling on Congress to conduct an in-depth investigation of the president's faith-based initiative. Former administration official David Kuo recently published a book, Tempting Faith, which makes serious allegations of government money flowing to fly-by-night religious charities rather than to more qualified organizations. Those in Congress who value religious pluralism must send a strong, unified message that taxpayer money must not be used to advance religious faith. H.R.1592/ S 1105-- Passage of a The Matthew Shepard Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007. Democratic and religious values call for equal protection for all people in all places. National hate crimes prevention legislation will help ensure equal protection under the law for all Americans.

SJ Res. 1 - The Federal Marriage Amendment CIV civil rights/civil liberties Local Law Enforcement Enhancement Act (LLEEA) and all efforts to strengthen existing hate crimes laws to ensure coverage for all Americans affected by hate violence, including the LGBT community. REL religion The Prevention of Religious Discrimination in Federal Programs - relevant to all issues that seek to roll back longstanding civil rights protections in federal social service programs as well as apply a provision known as “charitable choice” to some of these same programs. Proposals would have granted religious social service providers – who have long provided admirable and essential services to America's communities – the right to discriminate, proselytize and play by different rules than other charities while spending tax dollars. REL religion Any effort that threatens the disestablishment clause of the First Amendment such as the possibility of the Senate enacting language allowing military chaplains to recite sectarian prayers. Already passed by the House, H. R. 5122 with its Section 590, titled “Military Chaplains,” would have given chaplains the “prerogative to pray according to the dictates of the chaplain’s own conscience…” REL religion “Public Expression of Religion Act” (PERA, H.R. 2679) PERA would have eliminated attorneys’ fees and costs for plaintiffs in Establishment Clause cases brought to ensure their constitutional rights under the First Amendment are protected. REL religion