GERLACH AND SANTORUM TAKING ACTION IN WASHINGTON

Congressman Gerlach is Working Hard for the 6th Congressional District

CONGRESSMAN JIM GERLACH helped set aside more than $44 million for transportation projects throughout the 6th Congressional District in the $283.9 billion transportation bill that passed the House of Representatives Thursday afternoon. Also, Congressman Gerlach voted on Monday evening, in favor of a resolution urging the European Union to add Hezbollah to the European Union's wide-ranging list of terrorist organizations. The final vote was 380-3, with 5 members voting present. A few radical Democrats voted against the measure.

Senator Santorum Urges Action Against Saudi Violations of Religious Freedoms

SENATOR RICK SANTORUM, Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, joined 14 Senate colleagues in sending a letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to express concern over the Saudi Arabian government's support of documents promoting intolerance and violence and its restrictions on religious freedom and social equality. In 2004, the State Department designated Saudi Arabia as a "country of particular concern" (CPC) for its ongoing violations of religious freedom. The State Department faces a March 15th deadline to act on their 2004 designation of Saudi Arabia as a severe violator of religious freedom as defined by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998.

The bipartisan letter calls for the State Department to implement measures recommended by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom in order to encourage the Saudi government to make changes leading towards free exercise of religious.

"We are seriously troubled by a series of recent events that evidence Saudi Arabia's support for religious ideologies that promote hatred, intolerance and violence around the world, and its severe restrictions on religious freedom and social equality within its own borders," the letter states. The letter also urges Secretary Rice to raise concerns with the Saudi government related to the treatment of women in matters of education, employment healthcare, marriage and inheritance.

Recently, Freedom House's Center for Religious Freedom issued a report on Saudi Arabia's extreme abuse of religious freedom. This report triggered the letter to Secretary Rice.

"The recent findings of the Freedom House's Center for Religious Freedom report are an unfortunate reminder of the Saudi government's role in supporting religious ideologies that spread hatred and intolerance in America," Senator Santorum said. "The Saudi government should be held accountable for its support of radical Islamic ideology and should cease supporting any programs that contribute to the spread of anti-Semitism or anti-American ideology."

Congressman Gerlach's website: www.house.gov/gerlach
Senator Santorum's website: santorum.senate.gov

-Republican Committee of Lower Merion and Narberth