World Family Policy Center Newsletter

World Family Policy Center Newsletter

* News relative to protecting the family worldwide *

Volume 3 Issue 14 - May 4, 2004

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QUOTE OF THE DAY: “No matter what country we come from

today we have a common vision, the value of the family. Family

is the hope of the world.”

— Mrs. Martha Fox, First Lady of Mexico,

World Congress of Families III, March 29, 2004

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Today’s Contents:

A. Featured Articles:

1. Permanent Tax Cut for Married Couples OK'd

2. Federal Marriage Initiatives Seen as Cost-Effective

3. Development of Prosocial Behavior and Empathy

In the Hand that Rocks the Cradle

4. Maine's Governor Signs Domestic Partnership Bill

5. A Legal Boost for Noncustodial Parents

B. Coming Events

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FEATURED ARTICLES

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1. Permanent Tax Cut for Married Couples OK'd

By Amy Fagan

THE WASHINGTON TIMES

The House yesterday voted to permanently extend the 2001

tax relief for married couples, sending the bill to the Senate

and kicking off what promises to be an election year of

partisan wrangling over tax-related issues.

"The greatest error we could make would be to allow a tax

increase on our families. This is the right bill, this is the

right time," said Rep. Jim Gerlach, Pennsylvania Republican

and sponsor of the measure.

The provisions that are being made permanent were part of

President Bush's 2001 tax_cut package and are designed to

eliminate what lawmakers call the marriage penalty, which

results in many couples paying higher taxes than they would

if they were single. Even though some House Democrats

complained about the bill yesterday, it was approved over-

whelmingly, 323_95, with 102 Democrats supporting it.

To read entire article:

http://www.washtimes.com/national/20040429_122244_5755r.htm

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2. Federal Marriage Initiatives Seen as Cost-Effective

By Cheryl Wetzstein

THE WASHINGTON TIMES

May 3, 2004

One way to save some of the billions of dollars spent each year on

broken and struggling families is to promote healthy marriages, a Bush administration official said last week at a congressional hearing on

the importance of marriage.

"As assistant secretary [of Health and Human Services] for children

and families, I oversee 65 different social programs at a cost of nearly

$47 billion each year," Wade F. Horn said Wednesday at the Senate

Health, Education, Labor and Pensions subcommittee on children and

families.

To read entire article:

http://www.washtimes.com/national/20040503_121124_5822r.htm

Related link: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4637878/

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3. Development of Prosocial Behavior and Empathy

In the Hand that Rocks the Cradle

Mohammadreza Hojat, Ph.D.

May 4, 2004

Center for Research in Medical Education and Health Care_

Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior_ Jefferson

Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University_ Philadelphia,

Pennsylvania, USA

Abstract: Theoretical and empirical evidence suggests that a mother

has a paramount role in the development of her child’s prosocial

behavior in general, and in the enhancement of her child’s empathic

understanding of others in particular. Evidence for this can be drawn

from the evolutionary theory of parental investment, as well as infant’s

preference for the maternal voice soon after birth, and infant’s ability

to imitate facial expression and motor mimicry. In addition, recent

findings on human mirror neurons, mother_infant attachment and the

affect regulation support the notion that the hand that rocks the cradle

-holds the key to the gate of prosocial behavior and empathic under-

standing of others.

To read entire article:

http://www.worldcongress.org/wcf3_spkrs/wcf3_hojat

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4. Maine's Governor Signs Domestic Partnership Bill

Fox News

Wednesday, April 28, 2004

AUGUSTA, Maine — Gov. John Baldacci (search) signed

a bill Wednesday creating domestic partnerships in Maine.

The new law, which takes effect in 90 days, extends

domestic partnership rights (search) to heterosexual or

gay adults who live together under long-term arrangements.

It also gives domestic partners the same inheritance rights

as a spouse when a married partner dies without a will.

Baldacci said the bill shows "our state is a state that

recognizes the importance of individual rights and civil

rights for all citizens."

To read entire article:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,118491,00.html

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5. A Legal Boost for Noncustodial Parents

In California, a gain for fathers' rights may ripple out nationwide.

By Mark Sappenfield

Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

May 3, 2004

OAKLAND, CALIF. – A decision by the California Supreme Court is

setting the stage for a national shift on one of the most contentious areas

of divorce law. By keeping a mother from moving to Ohio with her children against the father's will, the court is sending legal tremors across the US.

Eight years ago, a California Supreme Court decision gave custodial

parents _ who are overwhelmingly mothers _ broad powers to move as

they wished, and it became the basis for many other states' laws. Now,

the same court has moderated its stance, giving noncustodial parents

more of a legal voice in the process, and suggesting that its initial ruling

had been misapplied.

To read entire article:

http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0503/p01s02_usju.html

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COMING EVENTS

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October 6 -7, 2005

The Pacific and Asian Family Dialogue

Manila, Philippines

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November 29-30, 2004

The Doha International Conference for the Family

Doha, Qatar

The Doha International Conference for the Family follow upon the

celebration of the International Year of the Family and will be a

two-day conference in Doha, Qatar, under the patronage of Her

Highness Sheikha Mouza Bint Nasser Al-Misnad., Consort of His

Highness The Emir of Qatar and President of Supreme Council for

Family Affairs, State of Qatar.

The conference represents an international assemblage, bringing

together international VIPs, governmental and non-governmental

organizations (NGOs), scholars, academicians, and civil society

leaders who will be invited by the State of Qatar to participate in

a family conference. This conference will call upon all nations of

the world to restate the principles related to family life embodied

in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and to adhere to

values and endeavor to promote the role of the family as it is the

natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to

protection by society and state.

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Note: The preceding article excerpts are highlights of current events and

do not necessarily represent the views of the World Family Policy Center

or Brigham Young University.

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Newsletter created and distributed by:

World Family Policy Center

J. Reuben Clark Law School

Brigham Young University

Managing Director: Richard Wilkins

Executive Director: A. Scott Loveless

Newsletter Editors: Joy S. Lundberg and Gary B. Lundberg

If you have any articles, editorials, or papers you would like

circulated through the WFPC News network, you may submit them to

lundberg@lawgate.byu.edu

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