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Report from the HillLEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF THE UNITED STATES, 1730 M ST, NW, WASHINGTON, DC 20036 (202) 429-1965 In an effort to provide League leaders and members with timely and usable information, we are sending the following action update on the Strategic Defense Initiative and the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1985. We encourage you to reprint these summaries in your state and local Voters or however you think best. The Strategic Defense Initiative update will be current through September, and information on the Civil Rights Restoration Act will be current through June. On the back of this sheet are some tips for grassroots lobbyists. It, too, is suitable for reprinting in Voters. ****************************************************** THE CIVIL RIGHTS RESTORATION ACT OF 1985 The House Judiciary Committee and Education and Labor Committee both have approved the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1985 by lopsided votes. However, the legislation was approved in different forms, setting the stage for a major floor fight. The Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1985, HR 700, would reverse the impact of the Supreme Court's 1984 Grove City College v. Bell decision, which significantly weakened several key civil rights statutes that prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex, race, age and disability in institutions receiving federal funds. Two amendments were attached to the bill in the Education and Labor Committee that endanger its effectiveness. One, introduced by Rep. Tom Tauke (R IA) would purport to make the legislation "abortion neutral." In fact the amendment would restrict rights, and will endanger passage of the bill. Another amendment, introduced by Reps. Tauke and James Jeffords (R VT) would effectively exempt hundreds of institutions from coverage by civil rights laws because of ties--even if they are very loose--to religious institutions. Both are unacceptable to the League. Rep. Don Edwards (D CA) has introduced an alternative to Tauke's abortion amendment that is truly abortion neutral. It would protect existing rights, and while the League would prefer no amendments to the bill, we prefer the Edwards amendment to the Tauke amendment. A House floor vote is expected soon. Please contact your Members of Congress and urge them to support the Edwards amendment over the Tauke abortion amendment and to vote down the Jeffords-Tauke religious tenets exemption amendment. The Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1985 is too important to be side-tracked. Passage of a strong and effective bill is critical to the protection of civil rights for all Americans.
THE STRATEGIC DEFENSE INITIATIVE Major House floor fights are looming over the President's Strategic Defense Initiative, or "Star Wars" proposal. The battles are expected to be continued throughout the congressional authorization and appropriation process. The League opposes the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) because it would lead to abrogation the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty and threaten to unleash an arms race of epic proportions. We support trimming the SDI budget to $1.1 billion, consistent with funding levels for strategic defensive weapons research spending before the SDI. Amendments to restrict funding for SDI are expected to be offered in both houses. Please contact your Members of Congress and urge them to restrict SDI funding to the $1.1 billion level and to prohibit demonstration projects. The SDI program must not be permitted to abrogate the ABM Treaty, particularly while we are engaged in arms
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