WASHINGTON UPDATE 05/06/2015

| May 06, 2015 | Permalink Handle with ObamaCare The Lone Stars aren't alone in their objections to the ObamaCare mandate. In Texas, legislators are stopping one of the most egregious elements of the President's signature failure: the order that forces Americans to become unwilling partners in the abortion business. Twenty-five states have beaten back the attack by building their own wall between policyholders and abortion coverage. And if Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick and State Senator Larry Taylor (R) get their way, Texas will be number 26. In a bill that just sailed out of the Lone Star Senate, leaders voted 21-10 to opt out of abortion under ObamaCare. Despite pressure from the Left's Wendy Davis wannabes, Taylor was clear: "This is not a ban on elective abortions... Under this bill, Texans can choose to pay for abortions, or they can choose not to pay for the abortions of others." In fact, he said with irony, "this bill is all about choice." A Drop in the OSHA The Obama administration isn't minding its business -- it's minding yours! As this White House has a habit of doing, the President's team is gearing up to lean on U.S. companies to adopt its twisted sexual agenda. In an announcement this week, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) warned the country that it's "taking on" the issue of transgender politics -- and expects the business community to as well. In partnership with the radical National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE), the agency plans on plastering U.S. offices with its propaganda, as well as filling inboxes with a quarterly bulletin on how executives can better serve the gender confused on their staff. Citing a plethora of "health and safety issues facing transgender workers," OSHA is driving the bathroom debate into every board room in the country. And "restroom access" is priority one, the administration says, claiming that 54% of transgenders reported having physical problems from avoiding men's and women's rooms. "Through this alliance, we will jointly work with the NCTE to develop products and guidance materials to improve workplace safety and health for all workers." How the government plans to "encourage" these changes is unknown -- whether by force or financial incentive. What we do know is that every department of the Obama administration is pushing a sexual agenda. And when conservative leaders push back, the media accuses them of wasting precious legislative time on social issues. Tell me again, who's wasting time? Six Figures: With Fiorina, GOP Field Grows to Half-Dozen This nation could use a good chief executive, and as former CEO of Hewlett-Packard, Carly Fiorina thinks she fits the bill. "Yes, I am running for President. I think I'm the best person for the job because I understand how the economy actually works." Fiorina, who lit up the room in Iowa with her passionate pro-life beliefs, has explained that her connection to the issue runs deep. "About sixty years ago, a decision was made that changed my life. My husband's mother chose life. She was told that her pregnancy would be difficult, and doctors told her she needed to have an abortion. Being a woman of intense faith and courage, my husband's mother continued her pregnancy. I cannot imagine how different my life would be had she made a different choice." The first woman to jump into the GOP fray, Fiorina officially added her name to the presidential roster on Monday, along with Dr. Ben Carson. Turning the "war on women" narrative on its head, Fiorina says, "Everywhere I go I meet strong, intelligent women who are tired of being taken for granted and are sick of the current political environment belittling them. From career women to dedicated public servants to stay-at-home moms, they are thirsty for a genuine debate about real issues impacting their lives." A strong opponent of the President's strategy on Iran, ISIS, and radical Islam in general, the former candidate for California office is also a strong proponent of freedom here at home, especially when it comes to religious liberty. Like nearly all of her Republican competition, Carly defended Indiana's original RFRA law, explaining, "People of religious conviction know that marriage is a religious institution with a spiritual foundation because only a man and a woman can create life, which is a gift that comes from God," she said. "We must protect their rights as well." As with Dr. Carson, she believes "marriage is between a man and a woman," but says she has also "been consistent and clear that I support civil unions for gay and lesbian couples." ** While leaders struggle to explain Baltimore's problems, FRC's Rob Schwarzwalder and Ken Blackwell give them an idea where to start in their column for the Washington Times, "Baltimore's Missing Fathers." Their hypothesis is backed up by some of our Marriage and Religious Research Institute's (MARRI) own data, which reporters used for this background piece: "Only 16% of Baltimore County Teens Grow up with Both Married Parents." Tony Perkins' Washington Update is written with the aid of FRC Action senior writers.