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Religious Issues

Sep 15 2022
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That’s Not What the Court Said

By | LBB, Legal, News and Events, Religious Issues, Religious Liberty, SCOTUS, Substack | No Comments

The legacy media lies. I hope you know that. They distort the truth and paint everything in the light most favorable to their preferred political desires. In other words, they tell news stories in ways that can help the radical left and the Democratic Party while hurting conservatives and the Republican Party. Do not let yourself be manipulated.

 

This week the Supreme Court released an order in a case called Yeshiva University v. YU Pride Alliance. The headlines as the U.S. Supreme Court took procedural action on the case are all sounding the familiar pro-LGBTQ+ tune synonymous with the leftist legacy media. “Supreme Court Says Yeshiva University Must Allow L.G.B.T. Group as Case Proceeds,” wrote The New York Times. Similar slants were all over the usual leftist newspapers, and commentators on social media took the bait.

 

Only one problem. The Supreme Court has not made any decision on the merits of the case. As I mentioned, they took procedural action. The school has not exhausted all state remedies before asking the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene. There is nothing uncommon about this, and in fact, the Court must be able to manage the enormous number of cases that it is asked to hear. They want lower courts to do the right thing and dispense of cases correctly below. They are hoping the same is done in this case….

 

Click here to read the rest of Mario’s exclusive Substack column. And be sure to subscribe below to never miss one of his posts again!

Jun 17 2021
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Freedom Rings Again in Philadelphia with Big First Amendment Win at U.S. Supreme Court

By | LBB, Legal, News and Events, Press Releases, Religious Issues, SCOTUS | No Comments

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 17, 2021

Contact:
Jacklyn Washington
202-748-3501, [email protected]

Freedom Rings Again in Philadelphia with Big First Amendment Win at U.S. Supreme Court

Washington, D.C. – Conservative women celebrate the just-released U.S. Supreme Court decision in Fulton v. City of Philadelphia. Penny Nance, CEO and President of Concerned Women for America (CWA), the largest public policy organization for women in the nation, had this to say:

“As the Court acknowledged, ‘The refusal of Philadelphia to contract with [Catholic Social Services] CSS for the provision of foster care services unless CSS agrees to certify same-sex couples as foster parents violates the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment.’

“This is a commonsense decision that represents the most basic principles of freedom. Americans should be free to act upon matters of conscience according to their deeply held religious beliefs without fear of government retribution. 

“Children are the real winners here. Children in foster care or in need of a forever home have benefitted from religious communities, like Catholic Social Services, selflessly committed to their welfare for thousands of years. Government should welcome such humble assistance and encourage their expansion, instead of putting a target on them seeking their demise, as Philadelphia tried to do here.

“In a pluralistic society, we must resist those in power who seek to impose their preferred views in matters of faith by force. We must learn to respect one another and understand that disagreement is not bigotry. 

“Today, the Court lives up to the promise of our founding and adheres to the essence of our First Amendment freedoms to the free exercise of religion.”

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Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee (CWALAC) is the legislation and advocacy arm of Concerned Women for America. Concerned Women for America is the nation’s largest public policy women’s organization with a rich 40-year history of helping our members across the country bring Biblical principles into all levels of public policy.

Apr 12 2020
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Penny Nance: Coronavirus Keeps our Churches Closed on Easter, but our Faith Can Never be Taken From Us

By | Blog, News and Events, Religious Issues, Special Feature | No Comments

CEO and President Penny Nance published the following opinion piece on FoxNews.com this Easter weekend.

“Like millions of other families, my family’s Easter will be very different this year. Years and years of attending church services, gathering together afterward for a huge meal, wearing a new spring dress, socializing and enjoying fellowship won’t happen. Neighborhood Easter egg hunts are also a no-go.

For the first time in our nation’s history, the doors of America’s churches will be shut on Easter Sunday. Think about that shocking statement for a moment. At a time when we most need to draw strength from our faith, we cannot worship together.

This is hard for us. The American Psychological Association notes that during a period of social distancing, quarantine or isolation, people may experience increased fear, anxiety, depression, boredom, anger, frustration, irritability and stigmatization.”

Read Penny’s Entire Article Here:

Dec 29 2019
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Nance: Christianity Today has Damaged the Christian Witness in America

By | Blog, CEO, Culture, News and Events, Religious Issues, Social / Cultural Issues | No Comments

CWA’s CEO and President, Penny Nance, penned the following opinion piece for The Washington Examiner about Christianity Today’s recent editorial opining that President Trump should be removed from office.

“The recent Christianity Today editorial calling for President Trump’s impeachment was beneath the institution founded by Billy Graham.

The magazine, frequently accused of a leftward drift, proved every critic correct with its misleading attack on fellow believers. It was sad to read.

In order to make the case for impeachment — a constitutional and legal matter that is being contested at every turn — Mark Galli, the author, concludes that it “is not a matter of partisan loyalties but loyalty to the Creator of the Ten Commandments.” Unfortunately, Galli chose to do something that evangelicals involved in public policy are accused of doing all the time.

The organization I lead, Concerned Women for America, the largest public policy organization for women in the nation, is opposed to this impeachment. We believe it is a sham because the facts presented do not meet the high bar set by the Constitution. But you have not and will not hear us say that if you do not believe as we do on impeachment, then you are opposing “the Creator of the Ten Commandments.” How silly would that be? How pompous, arrogant, prideful, pharisaical, and un-Christian would that be?

No one is arguing that Trump or his administration or his policies are perfect. I have been blessed to meet and even dine with Trump. Like most of us, he is on a complicated spiritual journey that he began with little understanding of the Gospel. Only God knows what’s in his heart. And in order to share God’s word, wise counsel, and encouragement of his “better angels,” I have made a conscious choice to praise his administration publicly and correct it privately. Christianity Today prefers to stand on the outside and cast aspersions, while even condemning those who fail to take the same approach.

Galli decided his assertion that one cannot be both Christian and a Trump supporter needed to be in the pages of Christianity Today. Yet his silence about all other politicians has been deafening. I suspect that his “remember who you are and whom you serve” has brought embarrassment enough to the publication already.

In fact, its president and CEO, Timothy Dalrymple, has already felt the need to come out with an explanation of the disastrous editorial. Regrettably, it was just as dubious as the original piece. Dalrymple would have us ignore the way Galli wrote as speaking for the institution. “CT does not have an editorial board,” he wrote. “Editors publish under their own names.””

Read the Entire Article by Penny Nance in The Washington Examiner, here:

Dec 16 2019
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Garrison and Traficant: Anti-Semitism is on the Rise

By | Blog, International, News and Events, Religious Issues, Religious Liberty, Support for Israel | No Comments

Concerned Women for America’s International Affairs team consisting of Dr. Shea Garrison and Ashley Traficant, published an article in The Hill showcasing how Anti-semitism is on the rise throughout the world.

“Jeremy Corbyn, the soon-to-be former leader of the U.K.’s Labour Party, was defeated in a landslide election last week.

But while Corbyn announced his resignation and Labour lost dozens of seats, the anti-Semitism of his party remains endemic throughout the United Kingdom and Europe. Seventy-five years after the Holocaust, anti-Semitism is on the rise.

Tel Aviv University cites a 13 percent increase in anti-Semitic attacks worldwide in 2018, with the U.S., U.K., France and Germany having the highest number of incidents.

According to a CNN survey, memories of the Holocaust are fading while anti-Semitic stereotypes flourish. Forty-four percent of Europeans think anti-Semitism is a growing problem. But 28 percent say it is a response to the actions of Israel, while 18 percent feel it is “a response to the everyday behavior of Jewish people,” meaning a sizeable portion of Europeans blame the victims of anti-Semitism for its increase.

German anti-Semitism commissioner Felix Klein has even warned that it may not be safe to wear a kippah (Jewish skullcap) in public in Germany. Germany has seen a 70 percent increase in violent acts against Jews since 2017, but not all instances of anti-Semitism are violent. Unaddressed resentment and hateful stereotypes can be precursors of violence.”

Read the Entire Piece in The Hill Here:

Dec 11 2019
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CWA LAC Applauds Trump Executive Order to Combat Anti-Semitism and BDS on College Campuses

By | Blog, News and Events, Press Releases, Religious Issues, Social / Cultural Issues | No Comments

President Trump will combat anti-Semitism on college campuses by signing an executive order enabling the government to withhold federal funds from universities allowing anti-Semitic activity. This order recognizes anti-Semitism as discrimination against Jews as a race or based on national origin, not only as a religious group, and a violation of U.S. Civil Rights. Concerned Women for America’s hundreds of thousands of members are excited for this action in support of our Jewish friends.

Penny Nance, President and CEO of Concerned Women for America LAC, has this to say:

“Thank you, President Trump, for targeting the rise of anti-Semitism by enforcing the internationally recognized definition of anti-Semitism on college campuses. It is time we fight the discriminatory double standards held against Israel at far too many of our institutions of higher-education. This is a significant victory against discrimination as anti-Semitism increases in the U.S. and abroad.

Until this time, bi-partisan legislation on this issue, despite widespread support, has been unable to pass through Congress. It is necessary we take the appropriate steps to incorporate the internationally recognized definition of anti-Semitism into our education system. No longer can universities promote anti-Semitism from their ivory towers. Academia should be better.

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Sep 26 2019
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CWA Founder and Chairman Beverly LaHaye’s Charge at Our 40th Anniversary Gala

By | Blog, News and Events, Religious Issues, Social / Cultural Issues, Uncategorized | No Comments

CWA’s Founder and former Chairman of the Board, Mrs. Beverly LaHaye, addressed the Board, CWA staff and employees, volunteers and former staff at the organization’s 40th Anniversary Gala. She credited God with the success of CWA.

TRANSCRIPT:  “A lot of credit has been given to individuals but I want you to know that it was not Beverly LaHaye. It was my Heavenly Father. I was very happy and content where I was placed as Tim LaHaye’s wife, a pastor’s wife.

But God put something on my heart. It was in January of 1979 when we signed the official documents to make Concerned Women for America legal. And that was the beginning of Conservative women of faith to have a voice that would affect the future for our families and for our nation.

You know, as you’ve already seen – prior to this – the feminists had all the attention. They had the news, they had the television, radio, in the newspapers. Everytime you opened it up, they were there speaking.

But, Praise God – today we’ve got conservative Christian women who are speaking out and taking leadership and I thank each one of you for all that you’re doing.

You know God has opened CWA step by step. If He had revealed to me, back in January of 1979 what he was going to do with Concerned Women for America, I would have probably said, “God, you got the wrong girl. I can’t do that.” But God only takes us one step at a time. And, as we are faithful and obedient to obey His leadership, then He will do great things for each one of you. But, don’t expect the big picture to start with. You’re not going to get it. He wants you to go one step at a time. And, I very humbly say that that’s what I had to do.

Let me give you some of Paul’s words in Ephesians chapter 6 verse 12 where he describes it so well. He stated that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against the rulers of the darkness of this age…..”

Mrs. LaHaye explained how the organization got started and what it became.

TRANSCRIPT: “We began to grow after we got started and 2 years after we were legally established we sent out a newsletter and we sent it out to 80,000 women across the nation who were eager to know what we were concerned about and what they could do about it. And, I’m thrilled that that number has grown and grown and grown. You know some have said that the growth of CWA is a miracle. So, I went to Webster’s collegiate dictionary and I wanted to see what was the definition of a miracle and here’s what it said. A miracle is a extraordinary event manifesting a supernatural work of God — and that’s CWA.

During those 40 years, I had many influential people giving me encouragement and helping me along the way. But one I will never forget and that was the late Doctor Francis Shaeffer who was a forerunner of the pro-life issues. One day I had the privilege to sit and talk with him and he said to me, “We must use our freedom to preserve our freedom while we still have our freedom or neither our children nor our grandchildren will rise up to call us blessed.”

And today I’d say Dr. Shaeffer, I’d have to add my great grandchildren, too – which I have 19 and I want them to always know that we were fighting for the freedom for their life and for their country. In fact, Dr. Shaeffer went on to say to me, “Beverly, what would you think when your grandchildren said to you, “Grandma, what were you doing when they were killing all those babies?”” I want my grandchildren to know I was doing everything I could to save the lives of babies following them….”

Mrs. LaHaye finished her remarks with a special charge to the current leaders and volunteers of CWA and YWA from Ephesians 6.

TRANSCRIPT: Paul also tells us in that chapter, in the evil day to stand strong for righteousness, as taught in the Bible. God has laid out what righteousness is. He demands. He instructs us. This is the righteousness that God expects.

And, lastly as an ambassador for Christ and also for CWA, I say according to Paul, “Speak boldly for truth that is taught in God’s word; do not shy away from the truth and ladies and gentlemen, never, never, never compromise the truth that you boldly proclaim.

We have been fighting against aborting babies for 40 years. I want to say to you, Ladies and Gentlemen, … it’s time for us to stop that. It’s time for us to put an end to the killing of babies in America.

And while you’re still standing I just want to close by saying… I tell you I will pray for you – that you will be strong, noncompromising and speaking boldly for truth across the United States coming from areas where maybe there is no CWA chapter maybe there is no prayer chapter that you’ll go back and we will stir it up and wake up Americans and wake up women to stand strong in this evil day.

And be assured that as I leave this position, you will all be in my prayers that we will be effective. May God bless you all. You may be seated.

Sep 13 2019
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Concerned Women for America Celebration Luncheon with Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo

By | Blog, International, News and Events, Press Releases, Religious Issues, Social / Cultural Issues, United Nations | No Comments

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                        CONTACT:   Toni DeLancey, Ph.D.
September 13, 2019                                                                                            [email protected]     202-527-3434

Washington, D.C. – For 40 years, Concerned Women for America (CWA), the nation’s largest public policy women’s organization, has promoted Biblical values, constitutional principles and pro-women policies across America and around the world. As a part of CWA’s 40th year anniversary celebration, CWA’s founder Dr. Beverly LaHaye, CEO and President Penny Nance, and CWA’s Vice President for International Affairs, Dr. Shea Garrison welcomed Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo, who delivered a keynote address to CWA and its supporters during a luncheon at the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C.

“We are so pleased to have Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his wife Susan with us today,” Penny Nance said. “CWA’s involvement in the International arena is increasingly significant and has intensified with our staff addition of Dr. Shea Garrison. Secretary Pompeo has approached his job in a way that demonstrates a shared vision with CWA and our founder, Mrs. Beverly LaHaye, to expand pro-woman and pro-liberty policies at home and Internationally.”

In his remarks, Secretary Pompeo discussed religious liberty as the first American freedom enshrined in the U.S. Constitution as an unalienable right for all people. He also discussed his experiences leading the U.S. Department of State to fight for that freedom as a U.S. foreign policy priority for millions of people around the world, including through the Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom and the Commission on Unalienable Rights.

“Concerned Women for America’s work in the International arena is not new. With God’s guidance and direction, we made our first foray 23 years ago at the U.N. World Conference for Women in Beijing,” said Mrs. Beverly LaHaye. “Impacting international women for Christ’s work has always been a vision for CWA, and I am pleased and gratified at  how much progress CWA has made internationally under Penny’s leadership along with the expertise of Dr. Shea Garrison.”

CWA’s work internationally has focused on family and life, empowering women, and advocating for religious freedom around the world. To see more about CWA’s international department and its work, click here to see a video.

Read Secretary Pompeo’s Speech and Q and A With Penny Nance Here.

See the Speech and Q and A on Facebook Here (begins around 13:20).

See News Report from the Event from The Washington Examiner.

Jun 18 2019
0

Why doesn’t every persecuted group get a flag at US embassies?

By | CEO, International, National Sovereignty, News and Events, Politics/National Sovereignty, Religious Issues, Religious Liberty | No Comments

June is designated LGBT Pride Month, and rainbows are displayed on everywhere from T-shirts to restaurant chains to the Uber app. Even with all the gay pride flags, parades, and recognition the LGBT community receives in the U.S. during June, the Left is still not satisfied. They demand that the rainbow flag be flown over U.S. embassies abroad.

Look at this practice that’s been in place since the Obama administration — President Barack Obama actively promoted the LGBT community not just domestically but also internationally through the U.N., State Department, and U.S. Agency for International Development.

First, we should recognize that the LGBT community does have reasons for fear. Their human rights are violated around the world through harassment, killings, beatings, and imprisonment, and homosexuality is criminalized in at least 73 countries. In Tanzania, laws against homosexuality carry a sentence of up to 30 years, and authorities have been accused by human rights groups of subjecting suspected homosexuals to “forced anal exams.” And who could forget the horrific 2015 images of ISIS pushing gay men off buildings to their death? There are other incidents equally as evil, and the U.S. must stand firmly against these insidious abuses.

We should all agree that addressing human rights abuses around the world must be a central tenet of U.S. foreign policy. But why is one group singled out and others ignored?

Click here to read the rest of this op-ed as featured in the Washington Examiner.

Jun 18 2019
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Top Faith Leaders Predict Evangelicals Will Show Up in Force for Trump in 2020

By | Family Issues, Feminist / Women's Issues, National Sovereignty, News and Events, Politics/National Sovereignty, Religious Issues, Religious Liberty, Sanctity of Life, Social / Cultural Issues | No Comments

CEO and President Penny Nance is featured in The Western Journal along with other top faith leaders such as Franklin Graham, Tony Perkins and Gary Bauer.

“Some of the nation’s top Christian leaders believe President Donald Trump will once again enjoy the strong backing of evangelicals in 2020, noting he now has a record, and not just promises, to run on.

The Western Journal spoke with Rev. Franklin Graham, Family Research Council president Tony Perkins, Concerned Women for America president Penny Nance, American Values president Gary Bauer and Christian Broadcasting Network chief political analyst David Brody to gauge their views on why Trump enjoyed such strong evangelical support in 2016, and how he looks with these voters going into the 2020 election.”

Read the entire article here:

Jul 27 2018
0

How to Protect International Religious Freedom from the Politicization of Human Rights

By | National Sovereignty, Religious Issues, Religious Liberty | No Comments

Join CWA for a panel event co-sponsored by The Heritage Foundation on “How to Protect International Religious freedom from the Politicization of Human Rights”. This event is a side event for Secretary of State Pompeo’s Ministerial for Advancing Religious Freedom held at the U.S. Department of State July 24-26th 2018.

Panelists will discuss how our “natural” or fundamental human rights, such as religious freedom, protect the fairness of the political process by ensuring that individuals are free to think, speak, and act according to their convictions. Increasingly the human rights of individuals are being conflated with the social and economic policy priorities of particular groups and governments.  This undercuts the moral legitimacy and persuasive power of our natural rights, including our freedom to live according to our religious convictions.

Jan 15 2018
3

The Secret to MLK Jr.’s Hope

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

It was a hope that captivated a nation. Still does. In classrooms all over America, the words of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s, speech, “I Have a Dream,” still helps weave the dreams of many young minds. We all know (or should know) them by heart:

I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today. …

But Martin Luther King, Jr., experienced a dense social injustice that seemed insurmountable to many. Did you know that, according to the King Center, he was unjustly arrested 30 times? In Montgomery, Alabama, in 1956, he was arrested for driving 30 mph in a 25-mph zone.

Living under these circumstances, many had understandably become bitter. How did Martin Luther King, Jr., remain so hopeful? How did he keep his dream alive, as he was ridiculed, harassed, and systematically targeted because of the color of his skin?

The answer is in his name.  He was born Michael King, not Martin Luther, as he is known by all of us. His father, Michael King, Sr., pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia, changed his name, and that of his eldest son, to Martin Luther after he was inspired by the great protestant reformer on a trip to Germany.

So, the answer to Martin Luther King, Jr.’s, hope comes from his deep faith —a faith he most definitely received from his father, but which he embraced and acknowledged as the sustaining power of his entire effort.  Ironically, this is the part that is specifically and systematically ignored by our public schools and popular culture.

Martin Luther King, Jr.’s, Christian faith contains the whole of his hope and effectiveness. To those who have experienced that faith, the fruits that flowed from such sufferings are of no surprise. The Apostle Paul wrote about it centuries before: “[W]e rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us,” (Romans 5: 3-4).

My wish on this Martin Luther King, Jr., Day 2018 (marking the 50ht anniversary of his assassination) is that we may re-discover the truths Dr. King knew so well. For, though we face our own sufferings, our own challenges, our own hope is still the same.  As the old Baptist hymn writer put it, “Jesus’ blood and righteousness.”

The miracle of the Christian faith is that our sufferings, through Christ, are nothing but gain. As His suffering and death on the cross brought us salvation, so, too, we can remain hopeful in the middle of whatever difficulty we face. That was the source of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s, hope.

“All other ground is sinking sand.”

Jun 19 2017
0

Don’t Let Them Win

By | News and Events, Religious Issues | No Comments

In late May, the world was once again struck by the evils of radical Islamic terror. Seven innocent lives were lost and countless more injured in a type of attack that is becoming all too common. In an increasingly dark and violent world, it can be difficult to find God. Where was He when three men decided to rampage through the streets of London? Where was He when innocent people died? And where was He when people cried out for help?

All around the world, people are asking these questions, longing to make sense of the chaos that surrounds them. As Christians, it is our responsibility to be ready to answer these questions, because we must “always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks [us] to give the reason for the hope that [we] have” (1 Peter 3:15). We are not defeated by the darkness, and we must fulfill our calling as the salt and light of the world.

Yet, every time we doubt the sovereignty of God, and every time we allow the terrorists to strike fear into our hearts, we let them win. However, it is important for Christians to acknowledge these questions that can be difficult to answer for those who do not believe in Jesus Christ.

While the world around us continually rejects the truth, we must live out this one fact: God is sovereign. This is our comfort and our joy as we face events such as the terrorist attack in London. This is also the answer to the question, “Why?” It isn’t an answer that the world likes, and it isn’t an answer that the world accepts, but it is an answer that allows us to trust that God is in control — no matter what.

Jesus reminded His disciples that, “In this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33). But, after this warning, He offered a reminder that is extremely poignant for today: “Take heart! I have overcome the world.” For the sake of those who lost their lives, don’t let the terrorists win. We must carry on with our heads held high. One day Jesus will return in victory, and all will be made new. This promise is our hope when the world turns upside down.

___

Kyle Permann is the 2017 Antonin Scalia Legal Fellow for Concerned Women for America.

Jul 15 2014
1

CWALAC Opposition letter to S. 2578 (Anti-Religious Liberty bill)

By | LAC Hot Topics/Alerts, News and Events, Religious Issues | No Comments

Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee (CWALAC) wishes to express our opposition to S. 2578, the Protect Women’s Health From Corporate Interference Act. This bill would reduce religious freedom for Americans – a treacherous act that has not ever been done before – placing so-called access to birth control above citizens deeply-held beliefs. Read More

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