An Empty Tomb

Delegate Scott Lingamfelter

For Christians like me and my family, this is truly the holiest of holidays.  It's easy in life to get so wrapped up in ourselves and our daily activities that we forget what's really important.  And for those of us who follow and worship Jesus Christ and recognize Him as our Savior, sometimes it's hard to fully grasp the significance of what He did for all of us.  So, here's what happened.  And I'm glad it did happen, for all of us.

 

John 20: 1-29

 

1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came early to the tomb, while it was still dark, and saw the stone already taken away from the tomb. 
2 So she ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him." 
3 So Peter and the other disciple went forth, and they were going to the tomb. 
4 The two were running together; and the other disciple ran ahead faster than Peter and came to the tomb first;
5 and stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings lying there; but he did not go in. 
6 And so Simon Peter also came, following him, and entered the tomb; and he saw the linen wrappings lying there,
7 and the face-cloth which had been on His head, not lying with the linen wrappings, but rolled up in a place by itself. 
8 So the other disciple who had first come to the tomb then also entered, and he saw and believed. 
9 For as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. 
10 So the disciples went away again to their own homes. 
11 But Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping; and so, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb;
12 and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying.  13 And they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him." 
14 When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. 
15 Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, "Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away." 
16 Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, "Rabboni!" (which means, Teacher ). 
17 Jesus said to her "Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, 'I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.' "
18 Mary Magdalene came, announcing to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord," and that He had said these things to her. 

 

Have a blessed day and life.

The Pioneer of Salvation

By Bob Morrison
Family Research Council Senior Fellow

Use the word pioneer with an American audience and our minds will usually turn to images of Conestoga wagons pulled by sturdy oxen. They are wending their way Westward. It's an arduous trek of families--fathers, mothers, and their children--across forested mountains and out onto the Great Plains. It would be years before these pioneers could bring the land under cultivation and see those amber waves of grain.

Scripture uses the word pioneer to describe Jesus. He is the author and perfecter of our faith, but He is also the pioneer, the One who goes before us, the One who bids us follow Him. Oftentimes that first pioneer and all pioneers who came after Him faced danger.

Sometimes, they even followed in His footsteps to a violent death.

Jesus knew not only betrayal, He knew shame. He took upon Himself the sins of the world, our sins, everyone's. As God and Man, He knew no sin, but he endured all that sin can bring for our sake. He hid not his face from shame and spitting. Yes, spitting. He was scourged. We hardly use the word scourge today. It means to be whipped. Romans used a scourge that was a wooden handled whip strung with long leather strips. These strips were studded with lead and pieces of sheep bone. These scourges survived from Bible times until barely a century ago. In Britain's Royal Navy, the lash was called "the cat 'o nine tails," for the nine strips of leather. Letting the cat out of the bag was not only the telling of a forbidden secret, it was the prelude to something awful. Whole ships' companies were ordered to witness as the flesh of a man's bare back was lacerated. Men who were scourged often died of that punishment. The loss of blood and the inevitable infection scourging caused were enough to kill.

Jesus endured all this before he went to the cross. He scorned its shame. In the space of five days, He went from being cheered in Jerusalem, from being hailed as the Son of David to suffering the humiliation of being betrayed, arrested, and treated as the lowest of criminals. Why did He do it? For the joy set before Him, Hebrews tells us. He could see beyond Calvary, beyond the Place of the Skull. He knew what joy lay before Him. He also knew what it would take to arrive at that place.

This is hard for us as mere humans to comprehend. Knowing the future always seems like a good idea for us. But can we bear it? Can we endure what may come to us, what our portion of sorrow and suffering will be?

Jesus knew what was over that horizon. He knew He had to remain faithful to the end. This can be, this must be, a source of great strength to us today. Crowds who once hailed what we hail are turning away from Truth. We are daily witnessing betrayals. Many of the mighty view us with scorn, if not yet with spitting, if not yet with scourging. Why is this? They hated Him. They will hate us. The servants are not greater than their master. Expect it. Be prepared. Don't lose hope. Stand together.

Before He entered Jerusalem that Palm Sunday morning and before that long ago Holy Week, Jesus gave us a glimpse over the horizon. He gave us a foretaste of the Resurrection when he came upon the tomb of his beloved friend, Lazarus, in Bethany. Dead and buried for four days when Jesus arrived, Lazarus arose at the command of his Lord. Lazarus came back from the dead because, as Jesus told them:

"I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?"

Yes, Lord, we believe.

Good Friday

Gary L. Bauer

I don't know how your week went, but this has been a tough week in Washington. I never thought I would see the day when marriage between a man and a woman would be put on trial before the United States Supreme Court!

I know the battle goes on, but I'm glad this week is over. And I am even more thankful for the time of spiritual reflection and celebration in the days ahead.

As we approach the Easter holiday, this is a good time to reflect on the truth of scripture and exactly what it is that we as Christians are celebrating. (Hint: It's not chocolate bunnies or marshmallow chicks.)

Christmas is the "big event" of the year, when friends and family gather to exchange gifts. It's easy to get wrapped up in the whole holiday season. But, ultimately, it is not a birthday that we celebrate - it is the resurrection. Far more than Christmas, it is Easter that makes us Christians!

If Christ had not risen from the grave, He would have been forgotten as a common "rebel rouser" whose birthday would have no significance.

Today, on Good Friday, we think about the Cross and the sacrifice paid for our sins; the amazing love that took our place; and the grace we have been given. Thank God for the cross and the empty tomb!

With Christ's resurrection, we have confidence. We have confidence in a caring Creator, rather than the chaos of the cosmos. We have confidence in a glorious future, rather than the finality of the grave. It is this confidence that sustains us in times of trial and tribulation - in times like these.

Why do we have such confidence? Because "It is finished." Christ's atoning work on the Cross is done, and we are saved.

On Easter morning, we do not gather to remember a martyr. We come together to worship the risen Son of God!

He is risen! He is risen indeed!

FRC Action PAC Endorses Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli for Governor of Virginia

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today FRC Action PAC, the political action committee connected to the Family Research Council, endorses Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli for Governor of Virginia. Tony Perkins, president of FRC Action, made the following statement:

"I am pleased to announce our enthusiastic support for Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli for governor of the state of Virginia. Federal and state governments have grown so large that our citizens are losing not only their hard earned money to unbridled government spending, but their rights as individuals. Ken Cuccinelli is the one candidate for governor that has a proven track record that suggests he can provide the leadership needed to restore the rights and freedoms of the citizens. He has demonstrated his understanding of the foundations set forth in the Constitution that will guide the state of Virginia to prosper and thrive in the years ahead.

"Unlike his Democrat opponent, Ken is a native Virginian with an impressive business background. He has been elected from Northern Virginia to the State Senate and again as State Attorney General. We know him to be a strong advocate for life, traditional marriage and religious liberty. As Attorney General, he has become best known for his effort to preserve liberty and defend the principles of the Constitution while demonstrating compassion for the less fortunate among us."

President of the FRC Action PAC Connie Mackey added, "Ken's career speaks for itself. He is a conservative serving all citizens of Virginia. While I don't believe in gender politics, I am impressed with the work he has done to provide pregnant women imaging services, to reduce sexual assaults on college campuses, as well as his work on human trafficking. He is a very caring person with a background that enhances the governing of the state of Virginia."

Rep. Robert Hurt: The American People Have A Clear Choice

"The American people have a clear choice this year between debt, doubt, and decline and responsibility, certainty, and prosperity.  For the future of our children and grandchildren, we must preserve the American Dream that has been guaranteed by the generations before us."  

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Robert Hurt (R-Virginia) today released his March monthly video address to Virginia's 5^th District. View the video by clicking the image below:

Tweet of the Day

Ege Berk Korkut ✡ ‏@EgeBerKorkut 5m

Democracy in Gaza. #israel pic.twitter.com/cdaxfFPhl4

 

Record STIs Lead to Real-Life Con$equence$

Tony Perkins
Family Research Council

Liberals want to get the government out of their bedroom--but they sure don't mind asking it to pay for what happens there!

That's the problem with the "privacy" argument. Democrats are more than happy to ignore what goes on behind closed doors--but they can no longer ignore the costs it incurs. Promiscuity and homosexuality are wrecking havoc on our country's physical health--and the latest reports suggest that it's doing just as much damage to our fiscal health. According to the new numbers released by the Centers for Disease Control, America is dealing with an explosion of sexually transmitted infections--and one of the biggest risks may be to U.S. taxpayers.

In the latest statistics available, there were 19,700,000 new STIs reported in 2008--the last year for which numbers are available. Based on the CDC's estimates, that brings the total number of STIs in the U.S. to just over 110 million--most of the new cases crop up in young men and women aged 15-25. The epidemic is all the more shocking when you consider that every 20 million cases cost the American health care system an additional $16 billion in direct medical costs.

Of course, this administration--which proudly zeroed out abstinence education (and any program that mentions it) -- has only perpetuated the problem. The President would rather teach kids to manage the risks (with unreliable birth control) than avoid them altogether--driving Americans to pay for the real-world consequences of the "just do it" mentality. If people want to know how someone else's promiscuity or homosexual behavior affects them, look no further than the tab for STIs. America's sexual appetite isn't just harmful to individuals but society as a whole. Can we stop this epidemic? We can, but it would require a new focus on an old approach: saving sex for marriage.

An Opportunity

Gary L. Bauer
Campaign for Working Families

In the days leading up to the Supreme Court's hearings on marriage, Democrats tripped over each other trying to get to the nearest microphone to be the next to embrace same-sex marriage.

Some of them are up for reelection next year and come from states that have passed marriage protection amendments by wide margins. If the GOP will take a second to stop preemptively surrendering, they might discover some real opportunities are right in front of them. For example:

• Senator Mark Begich (D-AK) now supports same-sex marriage. Alaska voters approved a constitutional amendment preserving normal marriage by a vote of 68%-to-32%.
  
  
• Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) endorsed same-sex marriage this week. Virginia voters approved a marriage protection amendment by a vote of 57%-to-43%.
  
  
• And yesterday Senator Kay Hagan (D-NC) announced her support for men "marrying" other men. It has not even been one year since the voters of the Tar Heel state approved a constitutional amendment preserving traditional marriage by vote of 61%-to-39%.

Talk about having a Senate seat handed to you on a silver platter! Most politicians would give their right arm to win with 61%. I believe this seat could be easily won if the Republican candidate is bold enough to articulate a strong stand for traditional marriage. We could teach them how in 30 minutes, but I doubt anyone in the RNC apparatus is even thinking about it.

The fact that Begich, Warner and Hagan feel free to publicly oppose the vast majority of their constituents shows they have concluded that the GOP will be afraid to use it as a campaign issue.

The party elites may be backing down but, my friends, I am not! With your support, this political action committee will do everything we can to defeat politicians who oppose our values!

FRC's Cathy Ruse: Redefining Marriage is an Injustice to Children

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Family Research Council (FRC) Senior Fellow for Legal Studies Cathy Ruse, Esq. made the following statement at today's March for Marriage event, co-sponsored by FRC:

"I am a lawyer and I work in public policy, but today I speak to you as a mom. Let me ask you: Can you imagine what your life would have been like without your mom? It's almost impossible to imagine. What if someone could turn back the clock, and without asking your permission, take away your mother. How unjust that would be. How cruel. What a violation of your rights.

"And yet, if marriage is redefined by the Court it will mean that mothers don't really matter to children, and neither do fathers. The same-sex marriage debate is always framed in terms of the 'rights' of the adults, and never of the children. The children have no voice in this debate. They don't even seem to count.

"Today the Justice Department is arguing before the Court that same-sex couples 'divide childcare ... evenly' and are 'satisfied' with their childcare arrangements.

"Well what about the children, are they satisfied?

"As a mom, I find the administration's indifference to the importance of mothers offensive. I have two daughters, and on behalf of daughters everywhere I call it an injustice.

"All people are capable of loving children, but all the love in the world can't turn a mother into a father or a father into a mother.

"If the Supreme Court re-defines marriage, it will commit a permanent and virtually irreversible injustice against the children, who have no voice in the matter, but who matter the most," concluded Ruse.

Facebook Pics of the Day

Rep. Robert Hurt Statement On Grand Opening Of CCAM Research Facility

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Robert Hurt (R-Virginia) released the following statement after attending the Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing research facility grand opening. View photos from the event HERE:

"The grand opening of the CCAM research facility is great news both for the Commonwealth and for our nation as we strive to maintain our competitiveness in global manufacturing. Comprised of a partnership between top notch engineers at the University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, Virginia State University, and manufacturing companies around the world, this cutting-edge facility will put the Commonwealth of Virginia at the forefront of advanced manufacturing technology while creating more highly-skilled jobs in Central and Southside Virginia. I am pleased to join Governor McDonnell in congratulating CCAM, the University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, Virginia State University, and its member businesses on this new facility, and I remain committed to working in Washington to make it easier for our manufacturers in the 5^th District and across the country to be able to innovate, hire, and expand."

Email of the Day

Obama's White House Staff!

Arif Alikhan - Assistant Secretary for Policy Development for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Mohammed Elibiary - Homeland Security Adviser

Rashad Hussain - Special Envoy to the (OIC) Organization of the Islamic Conference

Salam al-Marayati - Obama Adviser - founder Muslim Public Affairs Council and its current Executive Director

Imam Mohamed Magid - Obama's Sharia Czar - Islamic Society of North America

Eboo Patel - Advisory Council on Faith-Based Neighborhood Partnerships

 

Tweet of the Day

Heritage Foundation ‏@Heritage 4h

This happened: pic.twitter.com/IwXSZDon4c

 

Obama was right

Congressman Robert Hurt

President Obama was right… on one thing. Earlier this month Obama's political attack group, "Organizing for Action," sent an email into our district, using scare tactics to knowingly misrepresent my position on cutting wasteful federal spending and reducing the size of the deficit, with the subject line "Rep. Hurt will notice this."

Well, they're right....when you send lies to my constituents I will take notice.

Interestingly enough, as the media is focusing on all of the "effort" the President is making to work across the aisle with House Republicans in trying to solve the sequester, his former (and still active) campaign attack group sends out a ridiculously personal email that attacks my work in fighting for a balanced budget for families in the 5th and across our nation.

Let me set the record straight -- We cannot help hardworking families and small businesses without a pro-growth plan which sets Washington on the path to balancing its budget and paying down the debt.

While I am working everyday to address the problems facing the people of the 5th District and fighting for the families, farmers, and small businesses that I represent, President Obama's political attack group, Organizing for Action, is falsely attacking my record of cutting wasteful federal spending and balancing our budget. It is my duty to represent the needs and values of the people I serve. That is what I have done and what I will continue to do.

I know that the people of Virginia's 5th District remain concerned with the unsustainable fiscal path we are on as a nation. What's good for our families is good for government, and I'm fighting for a budget that operates under the same premise as our families and small businesses across the 5th District who know that we should not spend more than we take in.

Restoring economic growth by paying down our debt now is critical to preserving the American Dream for our children and grandchildren. If that isn't a sensible, balanced approach worth fighting for....what is?

Obenshain's Student Group Protection Act Signed Into Law

HARRISONBURG—Senator Mark Obenshain (R-Harrisonburg) thanked Governor Bob McDonnell for signing Senate Bill 1074, the Student Group Protection Act. The legislation is a response to so-called "all-comers" policies adopted by some universities, which prohibit student groups from conditioning membership or leadership roles on sharing the organization's core beliefs.

"Freedom of association is one of our most fundamental rights," said Obenshain. "Many student groups are organized around shared principles or goals. You cannot have true freedom of expression unless you also have freedom of assembly, the freedom of individuals to join together to advance a common cause," said Obenshain.

"The Student Group Protection Act ensures that organizations will continue to be able to define themselves by their own particular views, goals, and affiliations, and that a diversity of viewpoints will continue to find expression on campuses across Virginia," Obenshain continued.

"It's pretty simple: a Democratic club shouldn't have to accept a Republican as a member and members of a religious group should be able to expect that their leadership will share the group's core commitments. It's perfectly reasonable for an organization to expect its members to agree with, and be good examples of, the organization's mission," said Obenshain.

Joe Cohn, Legislative and Policy Director at the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) noted that SB 1074 "champions the American tradition of pluralism by safeguarding the freedom of association of the Commonwealth of Virginia's public college and university students."

"One of America's greatest traditions—as observed by Tocqueville –is that Americans form associations for many different reasons.  Freedom of association is one of the fundamental characteristics of the American experiment in liberty," said Obenshain. "'All-comers' policies undermine free association by college students and ultimately—and dangerously—involve the university in deciding what viewpoints should have a voice in any organization."

"By ensuring that organizations continue to be able to define themselves by their own particular views, goals, and affiliations, my legislation will ensure that a diversity of viewpoints will continue to have expression on campuses across Virginia," Obenshain concluded.

The Supreme Court has held that, while "all-comers" policies are permissible, they are not required, and that absent such a policy, student organizations are free to establish standards of membership. Senator Obenshain's legislation will ensure that students at Virginia's public colleges and universities retain that freedom.

Mark Obenshain has served in the Senate of Virginia since 2004, and is a candidate for the Republican nomination for Attorney General of Virginia.

ON THE WEB

SB 1074: http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?ses=131&typ=bil&val=sb1074

Mark's website: http://www.markobenshain.com

Mark's on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/markobenshain

Mark on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/markobenshain

Fighting For Our Values

 
Gary L. Bauer

Yesterday I had the opportunity to go on Fox News Sunday to make the case for traditional marriage. As my family can attest I am a severe critic of my own performances, but I felt good about the show. If you missed it, you can watch the show here.

This debate was unique because instead of the usual suspects on the left, I was up against Nicolle Wallace, a former Communications Director in the Bush White House and a top aide to John McCain's presidential campaign. (She is also the person widely believed to be responsible for many of the campaign's unkind leaks against Sarah Palin.) That said, I just don't think Mrs. Wallace had a good grasp of the key issues in this debate.

Her main point was the fact that polling data has supposedly shifted on the notion of men "marrying" other men. But if the public is overwhelmingly in favor of redefining marriage to accommodate sodomy, then the strategy the left, along with some quisling "conservatives" like Christine Todd Whitman and Bill Weld, is pushing makes little sense. If they are so confident, why are they so anxious to take the issue away from the American people and instead have it decided by unelected judges?

To top it off, Wallace stated that her view was the legitimate conservative position, and she added that there was even "a moral imperative" to support same-sex marriage. I could not disagree more.

I argued that it was fundamentally undemocratic for the left to use the courts to force its morality on the American people -- telling millions of Americans that they have no right to believe marriage is between a man and woman; that the entire country and most of human history has gotten it wrong. But that is precisely what the left has done time and time again, whether the issue is the sanctity of life or religious freedom.

It's your support, my friends, that makes our work possible and keeps me in this fight!



Passover

Tonight, Jews all over the world will celebrate the miracle of Passover. The last plague that God used to free the Jews from Pharaoh and Egyptian captivity was to send the Angel of Death to kill all the firstborn males. Forewarned by God, Jews marked their doors with the blood of a lamb, and, as a result, the Angel of Death passed over their homes. (Exodus, Chapter 12.) God told the Jewish people to mark the day as a memorial day and to observe it as a feast to the Lord forever. To all our Jewish friends, we wish you a happy Passover and all of God's blessings.

April 14th: Virginia Republican Candidate Forum

Robert's Round-Up: Two Budgets, Two Futures

Congressman Robert Hurt

This past week, the House of Representatives adopted our fiscally responsible budget for the third time in as many years. At the same time, the Senate adopted its first budget for the first time in four years.

As a result, the people of Virginia's 5th District and those across the country have a very real and a very stark choice between two budget blueprints. On the one hand, the United States Senate has offered a budget that asks hardworking Americans to pay more in taxes, allows for more spending rather than spending cuts, does not look out for those in or near retirement as it drives Medicare further into bankruptcy, and despite hiking taxes, never achieves balance. Their budget upholds the tax and spend status-quo in Washington and continues us on a path of debt, doubt, and decline.

In contrast, the budget we in the House have adopted abandons the status-quo that has brought us to a staggering $16 trillion debt, and instead reduces wasteful spending to balance the budget. Our budget is a document focused on ending our spending-driven debt problems and putting our country on a path to economic growth to help all Americans.

It protects our seniors by strengthening Medicare and ensuring a safe and secure retirement. It puts hard-earned paychecks back into the pockets of families by lowering tax rates and providing affordable American energy. And our budget gives our small businesses the confidence to expand and hire by removing debt that stifles investment and entrepreneurship. The budget we have adopted puts us on a path to responsibility, certainty, and prosperity.

But our budget is not just a document for today, it is also a document for tomorrow. Following in the footsteps of generations of Americans before us, our budget allows us to hand to our children a better and more prosperous America than was handed to us.

Our balanced budget is the only plan that confronts our debt problem now so our children will not have to foot the bill later. Those across the country have a very distinct choice between two budgets and two futures. On behalf of the people of Virginia's 5th District, I am proud to stand behind our balanced budget that leads us to a brighter and more prosperous future.

Photo ID Bill Signed!

Senator Mark Obenshain

Great news: Governor McDonnell has signed my Photo ID bill into law!

Critics said it couldn't get through a divided Senate. Skeptics predicted that the Governor would veto it. But today, Virginia joins the growing ranks of states requiring voters to show photo identification at the polls.

Today's victory is a long time coming; I first introduced Photo ID legislation back in 2005. But it's been worth the effort: if we believe that our system of free and fair elections is important, then we need the process to be secure—and just as importantly, we need to instill confidence in the results, taking reasonable steps to provide the assurance that our elections are indeed free and fair.

In 2005, the bipartisan Carter-Baker Commission recommended that states adopt Photo ID laws, and many have—red and blue states alike. As former President Jimmy Carter and former Secretary of State James Baker wrote, "The electoral system cannot inspire public confidence if no safeguards exist to deter or detect fraud or to confirm the identity of voters. Photo IDs currently are needed to board a plane, enter federal buildings, and cash a check. Voting is equally important."

Under the new law, voters will be required to show photo identification when casting a ballot, and anyone lacking ID can obtain one free of charge at their registrar's office. Those who forget their ID when they go to the polls may cast a provisional ballot, which will be counted if they provide ID in the days following the election. These changes will take effect in time for the 2014 elections.

Last year, we saw just how easy voter fraud can be when a congressional campaign official was caught on tape talking about ways to cast fraudulent ballots; clearly, a Photo ID requirement is long past due. After all, free and fair elections are one of the defining features of our system of government, and it's worth the effort to keep them that way, and to shore up confidence in the electoral process.

I am grateful to each and every one of you who spoke out on this issue and helped bring about today's bill signing. This is your victory. Working together, we can accomplish great things here in the Commonwealth!

Quote of the Day

"The president said he would lower insurance costs for consumers, but the opposite is happening. Health insurers are projecting Obamacare will increase the cost of coverage by 20-100 percent next January when the law really starts to kick in. Yes, that’s right: For some people, health-care costs will double. The CEO of Aetna went as far as to say the price hikes would cause “premium rate shock.”

"There is no doubt the president will blame the insurance industry, but the truth is these stunning rate increases are driven by his crushing new taxes and excessive government interference in the insurance market."

Rick Santorum

Read more at http://www.wnd.com/2013/03/stop-obamacare-stop-job-loss/#BSoHdJa3xk2h6uqL.99

FRC Experts Attending Supreme Court Marriage Oral Arguments, March for Marriage Rally

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Family Research Council President Tony Perkins appeared on CBS' Face the Nation yesterday in advance of oral arguments on the marriage cases that the U.S. Supreme Court will review this week. Additionally, Perkins will discuss the oral arguments and the March for Marriage on his daily radio show, Washington Watch, heard weekdays from 5-6 p.m. Eastern on the American Family Radio network and online at www.TonyPerkins.com.

Other activities related to the oral arguments include:

• FRC is a co-sponsor of the March for Marriage taking place outside of the Supreme Court on Tuesday. Cathy Ruse, J.D., senior legal fellow, will speak at the March for Marriage rally.
• Family Research Council's Ken Klukowski, J.D. will be attending Supreme Court oral arguments on the Defense of Marriage Act and Proposition 8 Tuesday and Wednesday. He is the co-author of a legal brief in the marriage litigation.
• Additionally Peter Sprigg, senior fellow for policy studies, will also be available to discuss oral arguments, the March for Marriage and the issues related to the Defense of Marriage Act and Proposition 8.
• Chris Gacek, J.D., Ph.D., will be available to discuss FRC's amicus briefs in the DOMA and Prop 8 cases. Gacek worked with Paul B. Linton, J.D. of the Thomas More Society on the briefs.
• Many of the 18,000 pastors within FRC's network of churches are engaged in a series of "Stand for Marriage Sundays." The church leaders are encouraging their congregations to pray and stand for marriage as the union of one man and one woman.

Tony Perkins on CBS' Face the Nation: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-3460_162-57576019/face-the-nation-transcripts-march-24-2013-same-sex-marriage-foreign-policy/

Defense of Marriage Act amicus brief: http://www.frc.org/legalbrief/amicus-brief-us-v-windsor

Proposition 8 amicus brief: http://www.frc.org/legalbrief/amicus-brief-hollingsworth-v-perry

Tweet of the Day

jim ‏@olretiree 3m

No White House Tours But Sasha, Malia Obama Vacation At Bahamas’ On The Tax-Payers Dime http://disq.us/8clvq2 

Unconstitutional

Rob Bell
Delegate, 58th District

On Friday, Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli issued his official advisory opinions about the transportation tax legislation and the proposal to create a Medicaid Innovation and Reform Commission (MIRC) that would be empowered to review proposals and ultimately authorize the expansion of Medicaid. He found both measures were unconstitutional.

I've already discussed my opposition to the transportation package, but here is a short video of my speech in opposition to the creation of the Medicaid Commission.

(The clip can be found here: http://goo.gl/J7qSd)

I fought against the bill because it appeared to me to be unconstitutional, as the Attorney General has now found. (In addition, I believed that the creation of the MIRC did not provide sufficient protections against expansion of Medicaid, which has already grown by 478% in the last 20 years.)

Two Budgets, Two Futures

 

Congressman Robert Hurt

Weekly Column 3/25/2013

 

This past week, the House of Representatives adopted our fiscally responsible budget for the third time in as many years. At the same time, the Senate adopted its first budget for the first time in four years.

 

As a result, the people of Virginia’s 5th District and those across the country have a very real and a very stark choice between two budget blueprints. On the one hand, the United States Senate has offered a budget that asks hardworking Americans to pay more in taxes, allows for more spending rather than spending cuts, does not look out for those in or near retirement as it drives Medicare further into bankruptcy, and despite hiking taxes, never achieves balance. Their budget upholds the tax and spend status-quo in Washington and continues us on a path of debt, doubt, and decline.

 

In contrast, the budget we in the House have adopted abandons the status-quo that has brought us to a staggering $16 trillion debt, and instead reduces wasteful spending to balance the budget. Our budget is a document focused on ending our spending-driven debt problems and putting our country on a path to economic growth to help all Americans.

 

It protects our seniors by strengthening Medicare and ensuring a safe and secure retirement. It puts hard-earned paychecks back into the pockets of families by lowering tax rates and providing affordable American energy. And our budget gives our small businesses the confidence to expand and hire by removing debt that stifles investment and entrepreneurship. The budget we have adopted puts us on a path to responsibility, certainty, and prosperity.

 

But our budget is not just a document for today, it is also a document for tomorrow. Following in the footsteps of generations of Americans before us, our budget allows us to hand to our children a better and more prosperous America than was handed to us.

 

Our balanced budget is the only plan that confronts our debt problem now so our children will not have to foot the bill later.  Those across the country have a very distinct choice between two budgets and two futures. On behalf of the people of Virginia’s 5th District, I am proud to stand behind our balanced budget that leads us to a brighter and more prosperous future.

 

If you need any additional information, please visit my website at hurt.house.gov or call my Washington office: (202) 225-4711, Charlottesville office: (434) 973-9631, Danville office: (434) 791-2596, or Farmville office: (434) 395-0120.