Faith-Based Victory

There is an important victory concerning faith-based programs.  In an unanimous decision by a three judge panel of a federal appeals court, a program put in place using federal funds to subsidize teachers at Catholic schools was declared constitutional.  The appeals court ruling overturned a decision by a federal district court.  In this case, AmeriCorps trains teachers in a program at Notre Dame and provides subsidies to them to equip them to teach in both religious and secular schools.  The appeals court said the use of federal dollars in this case does not mean the government is promoting religion and said the AmeriCorps program creates no incentive for participants to teach religion.  The appeals court relied on several important decisions by the Supreme Court involving private choice including the 2002 case Zelman v. Simmons-Harris.  As you may remember, the 5-4 vote in the Zelman case upheld the constitutionality of a school voucher program in Cleveland.  The court said there was no constitutional problem in using the tax-supported vouchers as long as parents also had the option of nonsectarian schools.  We have a story posted about this appeals court decision.

I want to let you know about important developments underway in the legislative arena in the case of Terri Schiavo.  First, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Florida Senator Mel Martinez and Representative Dave Weldon of Florida introduced legislation in both the Senate and House designed to give Terri's parents another option to stop removal of the feeding tube.  And in Florida a bill has been introduced in the state House designed to help Terri.  I am in touch with legislators in Washington and Florida and continue to monitor these efforts very closely.

There is an important hearing in court in Florida today as Judge Greer considers a request from the Florida Department of Children & Families to intervene in Terri's case to investigate what it says are some 30 new allegations of abuse and neglect in Terri's case. 

With the March 18th date still in place clearing the way for Terri's husband to remove her feeding tube, I want you to know we are doing everything possible to assist in the legal and legislative areas.  I also want you to know that state Senator Dan Webster was very encouraged when I told him that nearly 15,000 people have signed on to our petition of support for Terri Schiavo.  He told me this petition campaign is very important as the legislature considers its options.  I want to encourage you to add your name to our petition today.  It's very important.