1.  For the remainder of 2009, there are no plans for Congress to consider revision of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy for military service.

Politico.com states that homosexuals, who contributed heavily to Barack Obama's presidential campaign, are unhappy that no action has been taken to permit persons with same-sex attraction from openly serving in the military.

However, Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) points to the crowded Senate calendar.

"We have a very heavy, busy agenda and a few months left to do it," Durbin said.

The death of Senator Ted Kennedy, who has been the leading advocate of the homosexual community, has also set back the cause.

And Democrats, who may face a rough year in the 2010 elections, are not eager to take on the issue, which is likely to upset both social conservatives and military personnel, both active and retired.

2.  Using the right of initiative and referendum, the citizens of Maine and Washington have successfully conducted petition drives to stop pro-homosexual laws from going into effect pending statewide votes by the people on November 3, 2009.

In Maine, the Associated Press reported that the referendum has been officially certified.  Voters will determine whether to overturn the legislature's enactment of a bill to permit homosexuals to marry.  Needing at least 55,087 signatures, the sponsors of the "people's veto" turned in nearly 100,000 signatures.

In Washington the Secretary of State's website states that Referendum 71 has apparently qualified for the ballot.  This referendum would repeal the new law that gives state-registered domestic partners the full array of rights and responsibilities of married couples.

Needing a minimum of 120,577 signatures, the sponsors of the proposed referendum turned in 137,881 signatures.  However, 15,874 were rejected, mostly because names were not on the voter roles.  That left 122,007 valid signatures-just 1,430 more than required.

3.  The state of Idaho has attempted to prohibit a charter school from using the Bible as an instructional text, but the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) has filed suit in federal court on behalf of the school.

The Associated Press states that the Idaho Public Charter School Commission prohibited the Nampa Classical Academy, the third-largest public charter school in the state, from using the Bible as source material.  The Academy planned to utilize the Bible in high school classes that delve into the history of Western civilization.

The lawsuit names Governor C. L. "Butch" Otter and other state officials who "have decided that the Bible is now a banned book in every public school throughout the state of Idaho."

David Cortman, senior legal counsel for ADF, who is familiar with the education departments of all 50 states, said, "I've never seen such a broad-reaching ban on using the Bible at all as an educational resource in public schools."