1.  The Senate Finance Committee (SFC) voted down two pro-life amendments to the Obamacare bill, thereby leaving in place extreme pro-abortion provisions in the legislation.

The National Right to Life Committee (NRTLC) reports that Democratic leaders in Congress are moving full speed ahead to establish new federal programs in Obamacare to pay for elective abortions and to subsidize private insurance coverage of abortions.

Senator Max Baucus' version of Obamacare would specifically authorize the use of federal funds to pay premiums on private plans that cover elective abortions. 

An attempt by Senator Orrin Hatch to remove this provision lost in the SFC 13-10.

Senator Hatch also proposed another amendment to protect the rights of pro-life health care workers who are morally opposed to participating in abortions. 

That amendment was also defeated 13-10.

Over in the House, 183 Representatives sent a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi complaining that HR 3200, which has already been favorably reported out of committee, "explicitly authorizes the federal government to directly fund elective abortions with federal funds drawn on a federal Treasury account.The bill also explicitly provides for government subsidies to pay the premiums for private insurance policies that include elective abortion coverage."

The letter was also sent to Congresswoman Louise Slaughter, the Chairwoman of the Rules Committee, requesting that the full House be allowed to consider an amendment to remove that provision from the Obamacare bill.

However, it appears unlikely that amendment will be considered. 

Douglas Johnson, Legislative Director of NRTLC, lamented the continued resistance of the House Democratic leadership to allowing a floor vote on pro-life amendments.

2.  The Obama Administration has banned religious ornaments on the Capitol Christmas Tree.

Each year since 1964, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), a division of the Department of Agriculture, has selected a state to decorate the Christmas Tree in the Capitol in Washington, D.C. 

This year, Arizona school children were chosen. 

While there are requirements regarding the size and weight of the decorations, the regulations also stated that the ornaments "cannot reflect a religious or political theme.  Instead, share your interpretation of our theme, Arizona's Gift from the Grand Canyon State."

A parent wanted her child to submit ornaments that said, "Merry Christmas" and "Happy Birthday, Jesus." 

LifeSiteNews.com reported that the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) sent a blistering letter to Tom Tidwell, Chief of the USFS, demanding that the Obama Administration stop its discrimination against Christianity.

In the letter, ADF Litigation Staff Counsel Jonathan Scruggs wrote, "Banning Christmas from the Capitol Christmas tree is just absurd.  Christian students shouldn't be discriminated against for expressing their religious beliefs.  The First Amendment does not allow government officials to exclude school children's ornaments merely because they communicate a religious viewpoint."

Scruggs demanded that the discriminatory regulations be rescinded before October 4, the day before the deadline to submit ornaments.  Otherwise, ADF will take legal action.