Senate bill attacks free speech of churches, pro-family groups
Jan 15, 2007
By Erin Roach
Baptist Press

WASHINGTON (BP)--Senate Democrats and a few Republicans have slipped into a lobbying reform bill a section that would drastically impact the mission and function of churches and nonprofit organizations -- such as Focus on the Family and the Family Research Council -- that seek to inform voters on moral issues.

One of the provisions of S. 1 now being considered by the Senate would require churches and other nonprofits, classified as “grassroots lobbying firms,” to report to the House and Senate any time they spend money to communicate to their constituents on public-policy issues that are before Congress. Failure to comply could result in thousands of dollars in fines and even criminal penalties. the rest