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Campaign Activity by Churches: Legal Analysis of Houses of Worship Free Speech Restoration Act

Description: Under current law, churches and other IRC § 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations are prohibited from engaging in such activity and risk losing their tax-exempt status if they do. While this outcome is rare, it is possible. This report provides an overview of the current tax and campaign finance law relevant to this legislation, a discussion of how each bill would amend current law, and a chart that compares the bills.
Date: June 14, 2005
Creator: Lunder, Erika & Whitaker, L. Paige
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Campaign Activity by Churches: Legal Analysis of Houses of Worship Free Speech Restoration Act, H.R. 235 (108th Congress)

Description: Churches and other Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations can lose their tax-exempt status if they participate in a political campaign. The Houses of Worship Free Speech Restoration Act, H.R. 235 (108th Congress) would permit churches to engage in limited types of political campaign activity, in unlimited amounts, without jeopardizing their tax-exempt status. This report provides an overview of current tax and campaign finance law relevant to this legislation, a … more
Date: June 16, 2003
Creator: Morris, Marie B. & Whitaker, L. Paige
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Chaplain of the House: Selection and Related Procedures

Description: House procedures to elect an officer during a Congress differ from those followed at the start of a Congress. A resolution to elect a replacement officer to fill a vacancy during a Congress is privileged and debatable under the hour rule. By statute, the Speaker has authority to appoint a temporary replacement officer, and in some cases, temporary appointments have continued in effect for the remainder of a Congress. This report describes the consultative process that ultimately led to Father C… more
Date: August 22, 2003
Creator: Rundquist, Paul S. & Beth, Richard S.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Charitable Choice: Legal and Constitutional Issues

Description: This report provides analysis of a number of factual, civil rights, and constitutional questions that have been raised regarding charitable choice in general. The analysis is generally focused on those provisions enacted as part of the 1996 welfare reform law. More recent charitable choice rules may give rise to the same or similar concerns. Primarily, this report focuses on civil rights concerns that have arisen in the context of charitable choice and First Amendment issues, as well as recent … more
Date: January 27, 2006
Creator: Welborn, Angie A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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China's Treatment of Religious Practices

Description: From abstract: This report provides a brief background on religions in the People's Republic of China and discusses official Chinese government attitudes toward religious observance.
Date: May 8, 1998
Creator: Dumbaugh, Kerry & Johnson, Deborah E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Conscientious Objection and the Constitution: "Welsh v. United States" and Beyond

Description: This report discusses the Supreme Court case "Welsh v. United States" which considered the question of what constituted a religious belief that merited recognition as a conscientious objector. A judicial history of cases related to conscientious objection, analysis of the "Welsh" case, and Congressional options for dealing with the question of conscientious objection requirements are included.
Date: August 14, 1970
Creator: Killian, Johny H.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Constitutionality of Including the Phrase "Under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance

Description: On October 14, 2003, the Supreme Court granted certiorari in the appeal regarding the California statute, and on June 14, 2004, the Court reversed the Ninth Circuit’s decision finding that Newdow lacked standing to challenge the school district’s policy in federal court. This report summarizes the facts of the case, the opinions that have been rendered, congressional action, and the appeal to the Supreme Court. It will be updated as circumstances warrant.
Date: June 18, 2004
Creator: Welborn, Angie A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Constitutionality of the Withdrawal of All Federal Court Jurisdiction Over Questions Involving State-Sponsored Prayer in Public Schools and Public Buildings

Description: This report discusses several court decisions regarding the constitutionality of the withdrawal of all Federal Court Jurisdiction over questions involving state-sponsored prayer in Public Schools and Public Buildings.
Date: April 27, 1979
Creator: Ackerman, David M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Faith-Based Organizations and Their Relationship with State and Local Governments: Analysis of Recent Initiatives

Description: This report discusses federal, state, and local government funding for faith-based organizations (FBOs) to provide services to needy citizens. It provides an overview of several selected issues including the effectiveness of FBOs, their accountability for results, and the working relationship that FBOs have at various levels of government.
Date: January 23, 2003
Creator: Canada, Ben
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Hamas: Background and Issues for Congress

Description: Hamas, or the Islamic Resistance Movement, is a Palestinian Islamist military and sociopolitical movement that grew out of the Muslim Brotherhood, a Sunni religious and political organization founded in Egypt in 1928 that has branches throughout the world. The United States, Israel, the European Union, and Canada consider Hamas a terrorist organization. The overarching U.S. goal regarding Hamas is to deter, transform, marginalize, or neutralize it so that it no longer presents a threat to Israe… more
Date: December 2, 2010
Creator: Zanotti, Jim
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Hezbollah: Background and Issues for Congress

Description: Report that discusses Lebanon's Hezbollah, a Shiite Islamist militia, political party, social welfare organization, and U. S. State Department-designated terrorist organization. The report also discusses recent Hezbollah-related conflicts, Hezbollah's relationship with other Lebanese political parties, and U. S. policy regarding Hezbollah.
Date: January 3, 2011
Creator: Addis, Casey L. & Blanchard, Christopher M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Hezbollah: Background and Issues for Congress

Description: This report discusses Lebanon's Hezbollah, a Shiite Islamist militia, political party, social welfare organization, and U.S. State Department-designated terrorist organization. The report discusses recent Hezbollah-related conflicts, Hezbollah's relationship with other Lebanese political parties, and U.S. policy regarding Hezbollah.
Date: October 8, 2010
Creator: Addis, Casey L. & Blanchard, Christopher M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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House and Senate Chaplains

Description: This report discusses the two chaplains, one in the House, the other in the Senate, who are the official clergy of Congress. At the beginning of each Congress, the House chaplain is elected for a 2-year term. The Senate chaplain does not have to be reelected at the beginning of a new Congress. There have been 61 Senate chaplains and 59 House chaplains.
Date: October 9, 2001
Creator: Amer, Mildred
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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House and Senate Chaplains

Description: The official clergy of Congress are the two chaplains — one in the House, the other in the Senate. They are among the elected officers of their respective houses. At the beginning of each Congress, the House chaplain is elected for a two-year term. The Senate chaplain does not have to be reelected at the beginning of a new Congress. This fact sheet is one of a series on the legislative process. For more information on the legislative process.
Date: May 20, 2005
Creator: Amer, Mildred L.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Immigration-Related Provisions of Selected Bills on Religious Persecution

Description: This report analyzes immigration-related provisions of H.R. 2431, the “Freedom from Religious Persecution Act,” as passed by the House on May 14, 1998, and S. 1868, the “International Religious Freedom Act,” as introduced in the Senate.
Date: June 4, 1998
Creator: Eig, Larry M. & Vialet, Joyce
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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India: Religious Freedom Issues

Description: This report provides an overview of religious freedom issues in India including a broad discussion of the religious demographics and freedoms, and human rights. It also discusses specific areas of religiously-motivated repression and violence and perceived assaults on freedoms of expression and operations by nongovernmental organizations that are seen as harmful to India's secular traditions and the U.S-promoted goal of interfaith tolerance.
Date: August 30, 2018
Creator: Kronstadt, K. Alan
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Iran: Ethnic and Religious Minorities

Description: Iran is home to approximately 70.5 million people who are ethnically, religiously, and linguistically diverse. This report discusses these minorities, their treatment under the Islamic regime, and the reactions of international rights groups.
Date: November 25, 2008
Creator: Hassan, Hussein D.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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