HHS Concludes Marriage Education Helps Couples
 The
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) determined
in a recent study that marriage education programs help couples
maintain healthy, life-long marriages. The data indicated that
programs designed to assist couples in communication and relationship
skills were the most effective. President Bush’s Healthy
Marriage Initiative is designed to provide lower income couples
greater access to such programs.
“Studies such as this one indicate why Governor Granholm
clearly missed an opportunity to help Michigan’s families
when she vetoed the recent package of bills to strengthen marriage,”
said MFF Executive Director Brad Snavely. “Polls show the
people support marriage education, the Legislature obviously supported
it, and now yet another study shows the effectiveness of these
programs. We hope the Governor will take notice and reconsider
her position.”
For more information on the HHS study, click
here.
To read more about the Governor’s veto, click
here.
Broadcast Decency Legislation
Passes U.S. House
 The
Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act of 2005, sponsored by Michigan
Congressman Fred Upton, has passed the U.S. House. Similar legislation
passed the House last year, but failed in the Senate because of
unrelated attachments to the bill that were opposed by some Senators.
This year’s bill would not only increase the potential
fine for broadcasters to $500,000 per incident, but would also
allow the FCC to fine the performer involved. Broadcasters have
long said that it is unfair for them to be slapped with heavy
fines when a performer spontaneously performs an indecent act.
To read more, click
here.
To see Congressman Upton’s Press Release, click
here.
Congress Considers
Adoption Tax Relief
 U.S.
Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) has introduced the Adoption Tax Relief
Guarantee Act of 2005, the main goal of which is extending breaks
in the tax code set to expire. The current tax relief for adoptions
that provides a $10,000 per child adoption tax credit will expire
in the year 2010. Wilson and other legislators want to pass proposals
to permanently extend the credit to encourage domestic and international
adoptions and promote adoption as a policy for the people of the
United States.
“MFF strongly supports efforts to encourage adoptions,”
said Executive Director Brad Snavely. “One of our legislative
goals for the coming session is to promote adoption as a viable
option, especially for out-of-wedlock births. Less than one-percent
of children born to a single mother are adopted in Michigan –
that is simply unacceptable when you consider the importance of
both a father and a mother in the life of a child and the many
couples wanting to adopt a child.”
To read more about the Adoption Tax Relief Guarantee Act, click
here.
Quote of the
Week
“Here’s what I love about adoption:
It reveals the good heart of America…Extending the welcome
of family to a vulnerable child is a great commitment, but it’s
an extraordinary act of love. Adoptive families and foster families
deserve our nation’s thanks, and our nation’s recognition.”
President George W. Bush
Source: Maher, Bridget and Jennifer Marshall.
The Family Portrait: A Compilation of Data, Research and Public
Opinion on the Family. Washington, DC: Family Research Council,
2002.
Governor Says
“No” to Ten Commandments Display
 Governor
Granholm this week announced that she would not support a display
of the Ten Commandments at the Capitol building in Lansing. The
Governor had previously said she didn’t have a problem with
having the Ten Commandments at the statehouse because she personally
believes they “recognize universal values” and “do
not promote a particular religion.”
After criticism about her remarks, the Governor clarified her
position. Although she is not personally opposed to their display,
she said she would not support a display at the Capitol because
that would be a “violation of the U.S. Constitution.”
The U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a case soon to determine
whether such a display is indeed unconstitutional.
|
