NATION - House votes to ban abortion pill - includes other national news briefs - Column

National Catholic Reporter, July 2, 1999 by Matt Kant

House votes again to bar abortion drug approval

For the second consecutive year, the House of Representatives has voted to ban the government from approving abortion-inducing drugs such as the French RU-486 pill.

Despite the 217-214 vote June 8 in favor of the ban, the chances for the bill to become law this year are slim. When the House voted on the same prohibition last year, the Senate did not approve it.

"Another baby pesticide that kills babies," said Rep. Christopher Smith, R-N.J. "Come up with drugs that heal."

Rep. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., agreed. "There is something terribly wrong" when the Food and Drug Administration uses taxpayers' money for "drugs that are designed to kill unborn children," said Coburn, a sponsor of the bill.

Opponents of the bill called the restriction another try at limiting abortion rights.

"We have our Flat Earth Society days around here, and this appears to be one of them," said Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

"Science, not politics, should determine what drugs are approved," said Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y.

Texas religious freedom act becomes law

The Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act has been signed into law by Gov. George W. Bush despite pleas from Christian conservatives who wanted him to veto it.

The legislation was supported by a wide range of Christian, Jewish and Muslim leaders, but some conservative Christians objected because the law was changed before its passage so that it will not permit people of faith to discriminate against homosexuals for religious reasons.

Bush signed the legislation on June 10. It requires that a governmental body show a "compelling state interest" before restricting religious freedom.

"Recent court decisions have chipped away at the rock of religious freedom, one small action at a time," said Bush. "That is unacceptable in Texas. The Religious Freedom Restoration Act says loud and clear: Texas will not stand for government interference with the free exercise of religion."

The Texas law follows the 1997 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to strike down the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The high court said the federal law exceeded congressional authority over the states but that states could adopt similar laws on an individual basis.

Rochester nun may face dismissal from order

The Sisters of St. Joseph of Rochester, N.Y., have begun the formal process of dismissing a nun associated with New Faith Community, a breakaway group formed after the dismissal of Fr. James Callan from Corpus Christi Parish.

Sr. Margie Henninger, a nun for 39 years, received a letter informing her that she had created "grave scandal" by her involvement in New Faith Community. The community, led by Mary Ramerman, Callan's former assistant, was declared schismatic by Rochester Bishop Matthew Clark.

"Sr. Margie has chosen to participate in a prominent, public role in this New Faith Community, despite repeated requests not to do so," said a statement from Sr. Rosemary St. Peter, president of the Rochester congregation. "Her actions are incompatible with membership in the Sisters of St. Joseph." The statement said the letter was required by canon law as the next step in dialogue with Henninger.

Henninger, 58, told The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle that she planned to continue her work with the New Faith Community, which meets at a local Protestant church. Henninger, who directed Corpus Christi's Dimitri Recovery House from 1986 until last fall, said she is setting up a new recovery house through the New Faith Community.

"I am not doing anything I have not been doing for 20 years," Henninger said. "I feel we as sisters belong in both arenas. It is so sad, so very sad. I am being asked to turn my back On the very people I have walked with for 20 years, and I cannot."

St. John's University joins worker exploitation fight

St. John's University, criticized for its affiliation-with the Nike company, has announced participation in two projects to fight exploitation of factory workers in poor countries by multinational companies.

Vincentian Fr. James Maher, chairman of a Corporate Code of Conduct Task Force at the New York university, said in a telephone interview June 15 that affiliation with the Fair Labor Association began earlier in the month.

He said the association, which includes more than 70 U.S. colleges as well as Nike and other manufacturing companies, emerged from discussions initiated by the White House. The association monitors factories that produce items, such as the St. John's T-shirts, sold under licensing agreements with the universities, he said.

Maher said that on July 1 St. John's would also become part of Global Alliance for Workers and Communities, an organization whose formation was announced in April. The alliance will work to improve conditions of workers.

The alliance is supported by Nike, the toy manufacturer Mattel, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the World Bank. Maher said he knew of no other university that had joined,

Former Tennessee priest 25 years for rape