GING-PAC – endorsed members of House and Senate work to defend religious liberty and family values
Congressman Byrne introduces Education Freedom Scholarships
Congressman Bradley Byrne (R-AL)
Congressman Bradley Byrne (R-AL) announced the introduction of the Education Freedom Scholarships and Opportunity Act. This legislation will give students and parents in Alabama and around the country the freedom they deserve to make educational decisions that are right for them. This includes faith-based schools.
The legislation was developed in consultation with Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and GING-PAC endorsed Senator Ted Cruz as the Trump Administration’s school choice proposal.
Congressman Byrne said: “Every student in America should have the opportunity to receive a high-quality education, and we can help accomplish that goal through a new federal tax credit. This model has succeeded at creating opportunity for students in Alabama, and I am hopeful through this legislation we can create similar opportunities for students around the country.
“I applaud the leadership of President Trump and Secretary DeVos to expand choice and freedom in education, and I am committed to working with them and Senator Cruz to see this legislation across the finish line.”
I have met with Congressman Byrne and feel confident he intends to work on this important legislation that will aid faith-based schools. Most Christian and Jewish organizations supported this important bill.
Senator James Lankford reintroduces LIFT Act to help charities
On February 28, Senator Lankford reintroduced S. 632 the Lessening Impediments for Taxes (LIFT for Charities) Act, to protect churches, charities, and other nonprofit organizations from a provision in the new tax law that would tax some employee benefits for the first time. Currently, this new provision requires churches and other organizations to pay new taxes and subjects them to new compliance burdens and reporting requirements.
Many, if not most churches, have never had to fill out IRS Form 990’s. If the law including this new provision is passed as is, pastors who receive a housing allowance will be taxed on it for the first time.
The LIFT for Charities Act however, would repeal the section in the tax code that would require some tax-exempt organizations to pay federal taxes on employee benefits like housing, parking, meals, or transportation benefits for the first time. Rep. Mark Walker (R-NC) introduced the companion bill in the House.
Arizona special Senate election must elect Martha McSally
Martha McSally is a 52-year-old Arizona Republican who served two terms in the U.S. House of Representatives.
She was appointed this past December by Arizona Governor Doug Ducey
Senator Martha McSally
(R) to fill the seat of the late John McCain. Although McCain would have served through 2022, McSally must face a special election in 2020 and then, if she wins, run again in 2022.
GING-PAC has now endorsed McSally in a special election because of her strong pro-life stance.
National Right to Life has also endorsed Martha McSally.
McSally opposes abortion on demand and supports protection for unborn children. Martha McSally voted for the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, legislation to protect unborn children by prohibiting abortion after 20 weeks, when the unborn child can feel pain.
Martha McSally voted against taxpayer funding for abortion and she voted against taxpayer funding of abortion providers.
She will probably face liberal astronaut Mark Kelly, husband of the well-known Gabby Giffords, the Congresswoman who was shot during a townhall meeting and remains disabled as a result. Mark Kelly (Democrat), brought in over $1,000,000 in the first 24 hours after he announced that he would run!
Congressman Michael Cloud: A heritage of faith
Congressman Michael Cloud
In March, I had lunch with Congressman Michael Cloud and his chief of staff. Congressman Could was elected to Congress in a special election in the 27th district of Texas. He was reelected in 2018 to a full term. His district is the coastal area of Texas between Houston and Corpus Christi.
Congressman Cloud is a member of the Prayer Caucus and a graduate of
Oral Roberts University. Michael Cloud epitomizes everything that we as people of faith could ask for in a congressman. He is driven by his faith and love for God. During his campaign Michael Cloud made it clear that he was a man of God and would stand up for traditional Judeo-Christian values in Congress.
During lunch I talked to Congressman Cloud about the persecution of the church worldwide and requested that he get involved in pushing Congress to assist the persecuted Christians in majority Muslim areas of the world.
Congressman Smith promotes “Born-Alive” Protections
Social conservative members in the House called on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-CA, and other House Democrats to “stop blocking” a vote on the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act.
Rep. Chris Smith, (R-NJ)
The Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, known as H.R. 962, andits companion bill in the Senate, S. 311, have “strong criminal penalties for the abortionist” who violates the requirement to give appropriate care to a baby that survives a failed abortion.
The bill deserves a vote. Rep. Chris Smith, (R-NJ) told pro-life advocates. “It requires appropriate care to be given to any child who survives an attempted abortion.”
Smith explained that under the legislation any health care provider who does not “exercise the same degree of professional skill, care and diligence to preserve the life and health of the child as a reasonably diligent and conscientious health care practitioner would render to any other child born alive at the same gestational age” will be fined or imprisoned for up to five years.
UNPLANNED: THE MOVIE
Several GING-PAC endorsed candidates are urging others to see the pro-life movie “UNPLANNED”. In its first week, it did better than the major release of “Dumbo” by Disney which was pushed hard by the media. On the other hand, the media tried to hide UPLANNED the best they could. Twitter actually deleted the account for the movie.
Unplanned: The Movie
Vice-President Mike Pence recommended UNPLANNED saying, “More and more Americans are embracing the sanctity of life because of powerful stories like this one.” Back before he was Governor of Indiana, Vice President Pence was a congressman who was endorsed by Government is Not God – PAC. That is a long time ago!
GING-PAC is the oldest social conservative PAC, founded in 1994 — and over the years many men and women of faith supported by GING-PAC have been elected to the House and Senate, and some are still serving. Sam Brownback, the Ambassador for International Religious Freedom was endorsed for both the House and Senate by GING-PAC and served in both Houses.
Senator Rand Paul: Overcome Obstacles through a Commitment to God
The first week of April I met twice with Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) who has been outspoken on his opposition to American support of Sunni jihadists in Syria and American support of Saudi Arabia’s war on the people of Yemen.
In that war Saudi Arabian mercenaries, mostly from the Sudan, have
Senator Paul and GING-PAC chairman William Murray at a meeting in Washington, DC
raped and pillaged in Yemen while Saudi aircraft bombed school buses, wedding processions and funerals.
Senator Paul spearheaded a Senate resolution calling for the withdrawal of American support for Saudi Arabia’s war on Yemen. He pointed to the murder of a journalist and the total lack of human rights in Saudi Arabia as a reason to withdraw aid.
Although Senator Paul was only able to gather six other Republican votes, the Resolution did pass by 54 to 46.
The anti-Saudi resolution also passed the House, and President Trump threatened to veto the Resolution (but hasn’t yet), as he sees Saudi Arabia as the number one customer of American defense firms. In the last year for which there are full records, Saudi Arabia spent $18 billion on weapons from the USA. But the United States also spends billions of dollars protecting the royal family of Saudi Arabia and their interests. I find this odd, in that the Saudi royal family and the other wealthy Sunni Muslims there have financed jihadist fighters all over the world
Although Senator Paul is often referred to in the media as “libertarian leaning” his heart is actually in his faith. He is strongly pro-life and has often done mission work as a doctor, performing eye operations for those in need.
This year, Senator Paul and his wife Kelley made a special visit to Hope House Ministries in his home state as a show of support. The mission provides faith-based programs to help those recovering from substance abuse. While there, he noted that Hope House helps people by “… empowering them to overcome these obstacles through a commitment to God.”
SPECIAL ELECTIONS ARE COMING
More than a dozen Republicans are running in a special election in North Carolina for the seat made vacant by the death of a great friend of GING-PAC, Congressman Walter Jones. Many of those running on the Republican side are social conservatives who are pro-life and have strong family values. As a result, GING-PAC cannot make an endorsement at this time.
If a social conservative wins, he/she will need the support of GING-PAC to secure the seat held so long by a pro-life advocate. There will be other special elections as well, and we must be ready. Please support GING-PAC with a donation this month!
William J. Murray, GING-PAC Chairman
www.gingpac.org