WASHINGTON (ABP) — Congress is back in session after its traditional August recess, and a handful of issues of interest to Christians remain on the legislative calendar before the body's targeted adjournment at the beginning of October.
The House is scheduled to vote on a large appropriations bill the week of Sept. 7 that includes a provision touted by anti-abortion groups. The bill — H.R. 5005 — would fund the federal departments of Labor, Education and Health and Human Services for fiscal year 2005.
It includes a special “conscience protection” provision that would allow government-funded health care providers — such as religious hospitals — to object to providing services that their sponsoring groups opposed, such as abortion services or contraception benefits.
The House version of a proposed constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage nationwide is expected to come to that chamber's floor the week of Sept. 20. The Federal Marriage Amendment is H.J.R. 56.
-30-