Jan 16 2019
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Don’t Miss President Trump’s Proclamation on Religious Freedom Day, 2019

By | LBB, Legal, News and Events | No Comments

Each January 16, the president issues a proclamation on Religious Freedom Day.  This is the anniversary date of the passage of the Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom in 1786. I encourage you to take the time to read President Donald J. Trump’s 2019 proclamation in its entirety. But here are some important highlights:

On Religious Freedom Day, we celebrate our Nation’s long‑standing commitment to freedom of conscience and the freedom to profess one’s own faith.  The right to religious freedom is innate to the dignity of every human person and is foundational to the pursuit of truth. …

Unfortunately, the fundamental human right to religious freedom is under attack.  Efforts to circumscribe religious freedom — or to separate it from adjoining civil liberties, like property rights or free speech — are on the rise.  Over time, legislative and political attacks on religious freedom have given way to actual violence.  Last October, we witnessed a horrific attack on the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania — the deadliest attack on the Jewish community in our Nation’s history.  Tragically, attacks on people of faith and their houses of worship have increased in frequency in recent years. …

Our Nation was founded on the premise that a just government abides by the “Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God.”  As the Founders recognized, the Constitution protects religious freedom to secure the rights endowed to man by his very nature.  On this day, we recognize this history and affirm our commitment to the preservation of religious freedom. …

Let us take the time today also to recognize, celebrate, and renew our commitment to the preservation of religious freedom. It is up to us to remain diligent to the numerous attacks we continue to see and experience here and abroad.  Just this week, a federal judge decided to rule against the Little Sisters of the Poor, even after their historic win at the Supreme Court, forcing them once again to choose between their faith and their ability to serve the poor.

The ruling will surely be appealed by the excellent attorneys at the Becket Fund, but the case should highlight for us that the fight for religious liberty is never over. We must fight for it at every turn and stand with those who serve humbly, like the Little Sisters of the Poor.

Jan 16 2019
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Attorney General Nominee William Barr Shines in Committee Hearings

By | Legal, News and Events | No Comments

After submitting our letter of support for President Trump’s nomination of William Barr to be the next U.S. Attorney General last week, Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee (CWALAC) was present at the judiciary hearings yesterday and today. We are happy to report that our initial assessment of the excellent qualifications of the nominee were evident to all in attendance on both sides of the aisle.

Mr. Barr is a brilliant legal scholar with unparalleled credentials. He has already served as attorney general from 1991 to 1993 under President George H.W. Bush where he was praised for his professionalism and independence. Before that, he joined the Department of Justice as Assistant Attorney General and was in charge of the Office of Legal Counsel (1989), and as Deputy Attorney General (1991).

He followed his distinguished public service with equally impressive legal achievements in private practice where he served as an Executive Vice President and General Counsel at Verizon and General Counsel at GTE Corporation.

His extensive experience shone at the hearings. He answered every question thoughtfully and intelligently, making no political assurances, no matter how hard some Democratic senators tried. Instead, he committed himself to the same principles that guided him the first time he took the position when he was unanimously confirmed by the Senate. He said:

The Attorney General has very special obligations, unique obligations. He holds in trust the fair and impartial administration of justice. It is the Attorney General’s responsibility to enforce the law evenhandedly and with integrity. The Attorney General must ensure that the administration of justice – the enforcement of the law – is above and away from politics. Nothing could be more destructive of our system of government, of the rule of law, or the Department of Justice as an institution, than any toleration of political interference with the enforcement of the law.

The testimony in support of his nomination was also impressive.  Former Attorney General and Judge Michael Mukasey spoke with the highest regard of Barr’s record. He said:

It is not only the jobs he has had, but also what he has done in them and how he has done it that makes him a superbly qualified nominee. He has successfully managed a hostage crisis at a federal prison; he has helped implement the Americans With Disabilities Act; he has led in active civil rights law enforcement; he has overseen crime initiatives aimed at combating violent gangs and drug dealers; he has given advice to the White House even when it was not necessarily the advice the White House wanted to hear.

Given his record and character, Mr. Barr should be confirmed unanimously once again. The challenges ahead for the DOJ are incredibly difficult, and it will take someone with Barr’s experience and intellect to command the respect needed inside the department to get the job done aside from the hyper-partisan commentary that dominates public discourse today.

The nomination will soon move to the full Senate, and a final vote is expected in around two weeks.

Jan 16 2019
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CWA of Illinois Encourage-A-Legislator Project in Need of Volunteers

By | Illinois | No Comments

Dear friend,

We are excited to announce that we now have enough encouragers within our Encourage-A-Legislator (EAL) project to cover all the elected officials and members of the General Assembly! Volunteers are still though needed to encourage and pray for the 102 County Board/Commission Chairmen. Might you consider being an encourager to one or more of them?

EAL is a project of encouragement and prayer for our Illinois elected officials, members of the Illinois General Assembly, and all Illinois county board and commission chairpersons. It is not an expression of political or public policy views.

  • CWA provides 12 pre-addressed postcards that contain a Scripture verse, Founding Father quote, and prayer per legislator.
  • Encouragers are asked to send a postcard once a month and pray earnestly for their assigned legislator. The EAL program will begin once the legislators’ contact information and committee assignments are completed.

Participants are welcome to pray for and encourage more than one legislator.

If you would like to participate in the CWA of Illinois EAL Project, please call me at 815-297-2918 or email [email protected].  Be sure to specify the number of County Board/Commission Chairmen you would like to pray and encourage.  Please provide your name and address to send your EAL packet to.

Please Take Action:

  • Prayerfully consider volunteering for this important ministry.
  • Recruit your friends and family to Encourage-A-Legislator.

Prayer moves the hand of God in the affairs of this nation!  In fact, we are commanded to pray for those in authority. 

“I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made for all people – for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.  This is good and pleases God our Savior…” – 1 Timothy 2:1 

Blessings,

Debbie Leininger
State Director
CWA of Illinois
[email protected]
il.cwfa.org

Jan 15 2019
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State Director Testifies in Support of Improving Safe Haven Law

By | North Dakota | No Comments

January 15, 2019
House Human Services Committee
Testimony in Support of HB 1285

Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee, my name is Linda Thorson. I am the State Director for Concerned Women for America (CWA) of North Dakota. I am here today on behalf of our North Dakota members in support of HB 1285.

There are several reasons we support this legislation. The changes to the Safe Haven law will help to further prevent tragic scenarios like those which occurred before parents were given immunity from being charged with child neglect.

As you may know, there are two cases in late 1990s that inspired North Dakota’s Save Haven Law. In 1998 a North Dakota State University student gave birth in a sorority house bathroom; she wrapped her child in a towel and left the baby under her bed where her baby died. When she returned from class, she put her dead baby in a campus trash bin.

The student entered an Alford plea to negligent homicide, though her baby’s body was never found. She was sentenced to three years of supervised probation under a plea agreement between her attorney and the Cass County State’s Attorney’s office.

In 1999 an infant, “Baby Moses” was found dead in a suitcase on the Fort Berthold Reservation.

Data from the North Dakota Health Department identifies 17 babies were given Safe Haven in 2017. This law, dedicated to eliminating harm and death to infants, also includes a public awareness campaign to provide information, public service announcements and educational materials to the public including medical providers, law enforcement and social service agencies.

When government and medical personnel are given the opportunity to offer a haven to a child in need of help, tragedies, as described from the late 1990s, are reduced, as is made clear from statistics that show these harbors are being used in our state. Increasing the number of harbors and providing awareness to the public is a law that protects human life.

As the state director for CWA of North Dakota I urge a “do pass” on HB1285.

Jan 15 2019
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Time for Women to Oppose the ERA !

By | Virginia | No Comments

A heartfelt thank you to all of those who responded to our last e-alert on the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) by contacting your individual senator and the members of the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee. We must continue to maintain the pressure. If you have not yet taken action – please consider reviewing that e-alert and helping in the ways it requests. In addition, there’s also something else you can do that will make a difference.

Please take action now!  

Women opposed to the ERA across the state are uniting together in a video effort this week (January 14 – 19). The goal is to inundate lawmakers with heartfelt, informal, brief videos from women expressing their opposition to ERA. It’s easy! Using your mobile phone, laptop or tablet – simply record a 30 second to two-minute video expressing your opposition in your own words. You can use these talking points to assist you.

We are already receiving videos and will also cut statements from last week’s press conference. Please don’t hesitate to take this action, and, ask others to do the same. Time is of the essence.

IMPORTANT FOR YOUR RECORDING: After you introduce yourself, state you are a member of Concerned Women for America of Virginia and then complete your brief recording.

Once complete, email your video to me at [email protected]  If your video is too large to email, I will provide an option for you to upload the video.

Please pass this e-alert on to others. Encourage them to both pray and act immediately.

Please continue to pray against this horrendous amendment. Pray for your senator and the committee members by name as you contact them.

Thank you in advance for your diligence through both your prayers and actions.

Toni DeLancey
State Director
CWA of Virginia
[email protected]

Jan 12 2019
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Meet the New State Director of CWA of Virginia, Toni DeLancey!

By | Virginia | No Comments

Hello! My name is Toni DeLancey, and I am so excited to be your new CWA of Virginia State Director.

I probably got started with CWA like many of you! In March of 2017, during my daily prayer time, I felt God lead me to find a pro-life women’s group in which to become involved. Sanctity of life has always been my hot-button issue, and through my journey with the Lord, I have learned to listen and be obedient. I did what I felt He asked me to do and searched online that very day, learning all I could about CWA. I didn’t hesitate to reach out to National about getting involved.

In September of 2017, after several months of praying and chatting with leaders at CWA National, I applied to become a Prayer and Action Chapter leader. In October of that same year, Northern Virginia Prayer and Action Chapter held its first meeting in my home. The NOVA prayer and action chapter has women members from Falls Church, Fairfax, McLean, Arlington and Alexandria and is growing in numbers with women who love God and want to see our nation and state adhere to Biblical principles.

I’m so honored to be your State Director during this pivotal time. CWA’s founder, Beverly LaHaye, started CWA in opposition to ERA in 1979; now, 40 years later, ERA is back and my very first issue. Proponents are well-organized in Virginia and have momentum. In fact, as Tanya Ditty told you, last Wednesday I testified at the State Capitol in Richmond in opposition to the ERA before the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee and also participated in a press conference on Thursday alongside other like-minded pro-life pro-family groups. (Click here to view video of my statement posted on the Concerned Women for America Facebook page.) Please do all you can to stand with me in opposition to the horrendous legislation that hurts women.

I want to thank Janet Robey, who was CWA of Virginia’s State Director for many years, for agreeing to be the Associate Director. I feel so blessed to be able to learn from her valuable counsel from years of incredible experience leading this state so well. I am also grateful to Janet Stasulli for her amazing work running such an organized and effective Encourage-A-Legislator program. To all the other leaders and members of CWA Virginia, I’m excited to meet each one of you and work together to further God’s kingdom here in Virginia!

I know together we will do great things, and I want you to be a part of this momentum.

Please pray about how God might use you for His glory here in Virginia. I will be reaching out soon to fill steering committee roles as well as asking you to consider being a local Prayer/Action Chapter leader. More about that later, but in the meantime, I ask for your prayers for our effectiveness through our efforts in Virginia and that the Lord will be glorified in all that we do.

In Christ,

Toni DeLancey
State Director
CWA of Virginia
[email protected]
va.cwfa.org

Jan 12 2019
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Voice Your Support for Home School Education!

By | North Dakota | No Comments

There is a very important pro-homeschool education bill that CWA of North Dakota is in full support of, HB 1052.

  • The bill meets CWA’s goal of providing quality of education to a level of excellence in academic achievement, without governmental mandates that are detrimental to parental rights.
  • It provides needed clarification relating to home education to allow not only a child’s parent but also a child’s legal guardian to provide homeschool supervision.
  • It clarifies the ways parents and legal guardians acting as supervisors have the option to use multiple outside resources to effectively enhance the student’s learning environment. It makes clear parents’ rights to incorporate resources such as tutors or online curriculum programs to enhance their child’s curriculum.

On Monday, January 8, I testified on behalf of homeschool parents and their children. Read testimony here.

HB 1052 is expected to be voted on within the Education Committee any day now.

Please Act:   Ask those on the Education Committee to vote a “Do Pass” on HB 1052. Let them know that you are a member of Concerned Women for America of North Dakota.

Please email or call these Representatives on the Education Committee (do not hesitate to leave a message on their voicemail this weekend if you prefer):

Chairman Rep. Mark Owens at [email protected] or call 701-792-1819

Vice Chairman Rep. Cynthia Schreiber-Beck at [email protected] or call 701-642-5777

Rep. Ron Guggisberg at [email protected] or call 701-367-2478

Rep. LaurieBeth Hager at [email protected] or call 701-280-2535

Rep. Pat Heinert at [email protected] or call 701-222-1354

Rep. Jeff Hoverson at [email protected] or call 701-340-8237 (Bill Sponsor)

Rep. Dennis Johnson at [email protected] or call 701-739-9328 (Bill Sponsor)

Rep. Mary Johnson at [email protected] or call 701-235-5912

Rep. Donald Longmuir at [email protected] or call 701-628-2617

Rep. Andrew Marschall at [email protected]

Rep. Brandy Pyle at [email protected] or call 701-388-2622

Rep. Michelle Strinden at [email protected] or call 701-566-9768

Rep. Denton Zubke at [email protected] or call 701-842-3081 

Please Pray:  Pray for our legislators by name.  May God give them wisdom and confidence to vote in support of families involved in home-based education.

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” — Galatians 6:9

Linda Thorson
State Director
CWA of North Dakota
[email protected]
nd.cwfa.org
Facebook: Concerned Women for America of North Dakota

Jan 11 2019
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Score Letter: Strengthening America’s Security in the Middle East Act

By | Blog, News and Events | No Comments

The Honorable
United States Senate Washington, D.C. 20510

Dear Senator,

On behalf of our supporters and activists nationwide, Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee (CWALAC) encourages your support of S. 1, Strengthening America’s Security in the Middle East Act of 2019. When this bill reaches the Senate floor for a vote, CWALAC will score in favor of cloture and final passage and will include this vote on our annual scorecard.

Israel and Jordan are key U.S. allies in the Middle East who are crucial to the fight against terrorism and ending the brutal Assad dictatorship in Syria. Ensuring the stability of the Middle East and the safety of Israel is in the national security interests of America. S. 1 improves defense and security assistance provisions and aid to Israel, reauthorizes the United States-Jordan Defense Cooperation Act of 2015, passes provisions to combat the BDS (boycott, divestment, sanctions) movement, and aims to stop the massacre of the Syrian people.

It includes four measures of support, most of them hotlined, previously passed by the Senate: the Rubio-Coons United States-Israel Security Authorization Assistance Act of 2018 (S. 2497), the Ros- Lehtinen-Deutch United States-Jordan Defense Cooperation Extension Act (H.R. 2646), the Engel- Royce Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2018 (H.R. 1677), and the Rubio-Manchin Combating BDS Act of 2018.

This bill is aptly the first priority of the new Congress, as it is in America’s best interest to support our ally Israel both home and abroad. Abroad, S.1 bolsters aid and strengthens security assistance in Israel, and the anti-BDS provisions ensure support at home. The BDS movement is an economic attack against Israel that has incited violence against Jewish people in America and overseas time and time again. Over half the states have passed similar anti-BDS movement laws; this provision supports state efforts and sends a strong message to Israel that we are serious about combatting anti-Semitism and supporting their influence in an unstable region.

Concerned Women for America asks you to stand by our allies in the Middle East. They need your support. Ensuring the stability of the Middle East and supporting Israel is a vital U.S. interest, and we urge you to vote in favor of S. 1.

Sincerely,

Penny Young Nance
CEO and President
Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee

Jan 11 2019
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ERA Heads to the Senate Floor for a Vote – It Needs Your Opposition Now!

By | Virginia | No Comments

A special thanks to all of you who responded to our last e-alert by contacting the members of the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee in opposition to the ERA, SJR 284. Though it passed 8 to 6, it is always important that our legislators know where we stand.

Only five individuals for, and five individuals against, were permitted to testify.  Your new State Director, Toni Delancey, did a phenomenal job of representing you before the committee as one of the five in opposition.  Read her testimony here.

SJR 284 now goes to the Senate floor for a vote.  A vote that could happen any moment. If passed it will go to the House Privileges and Elections Committee. Click here to view its current status, history, text and more. Click here for ERA talking points.

Please take action now! 

  1. Contact your senator and ask him/her to vote against the ERA, SJR 284. Feel free to use some of these talking points. Be sure to let them know that you are a member of Concerned Women for America of Virginia. Click here to find out who your senator is as well as how to contact him/her.
  2. Contact the members of the House Privileges and Elections Committee. This is extremely important.  We expect the Senate to not only move fast on this but to vote for it.  This will therefore immediately place SJR 284 in committee for a vote.  With a Republican majority, the House is where we expect to have the most advantage.  They need a clear message, that as a woman, you vehemently oppose the ERA! Feel free to use some of these talking points. Be sure to let them know that you are a member of Concerned Women for America of Virginia.
  3. Pass this e-alert on to others. Encourage them to both pray and act immediately.

Please continue to pray against this horrendous amendment.  Pray for your senator and the committee members by name as you contact them. 

The Attempt to Repeal Virginia’s Marriage Amendment – Failed!

Thanks be to God!  With a tie vote of 7 to 7 the efforts of the left to eliminate the definition of marriage as between one man and one woman, failed.

Thank you in advance for your diligence through both your prayers and actions.

Tanya Ditty
National Field Director
Concerned Women for America