he House of Representatives voted almost unanimously on Tuesday to award New York Roman Catholic Cardinal John O'Connor the Congressional Gold Medal, the body's highest civilian honor. The only dissenter was Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas). Approval is expected by the Senate next month.

   Prior to today's vote, lawmakers took the floor to praise O'Connor for his alleged work on behalf of the poor, victims of AIDS and others, and salute the powerful Roman Catholic prelate for helping to establish diplomatic ties between the Vatican and Israel.

   "Cardinal O'Connor has spent a lifetime using one simple tool -- love," gushed Rep. Vito Fossella (R-N.Y.) who authored the legislation which nominates O'Connor for the medal. "Love for his country, his church and his fellow human beings..."

   Fossella's bill, H.R. 3557, described O'Connor as "a priest, a chaplain, and a humanitarian." The measure included 61 cosponsors. Portions of the bill noted that O'Connor "has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to public and parochial school education. He has supported and strengthened Catholic schools in their mission to provide a quality education to students of all races, ethnic backgrounds and religions in the Archdiocese of New York and throughout the nation." Other parts praised the New York prelate for being "a strong advocate of interfaith healing," and for his "significant role in helping to establish diplomatic ties between the Vatican and Israel."

    The measure also opined:

"John Cardinal O'Connor took the inspiring words of the Declaration of Independence -- 'Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness' -- and transformed them into a statement of purpose. He has dedicated his life's work to protecting and defending these inalienable rights of people."

    H.R. 3557 concludes:

"(a) PRESENTATION AUTHORIZED -- The President is authorized to present, on behalf of the Congress, a gold medal of appropriate design to John Cardinal O'Connor, Archbishop of New York...

(b) DESIGN AND STRIKING -- For the purpose of the presentation referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter in this Act referred to as the 'Secretary') shall strike a gold medal with suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions, to be determined by the Secretary."

   The only vote against H.R. 3557 came from Congressman Ron Paul (R-Texas), noted for his conservative fiscal policies and libertarian views on many social matters. In a written statement for inclusion in today's Congressional Record, Paul said that he rose in opposition to the Fossella bill, but did so "in total support of, and with complete respect for, the work of Cardinal John O'Connor."

   Paul described O'Connor as a "true hero as he has labors (sic) tirelessly on behalf of the most needy and vulnerable in our society..."

   "I must, however, oppose the Gold Medal for Cardinal O'Connor," continued Paul, "because appropriating $30,000 of taxpayer money is neither constitutional nor, in the spirit of Cardinal O'Connor who dedicates his life to voluntary and charitable work, particularly humanitarian."

   Paul went on to argue that the award was "not authorized within the enumerated powers of the Constitution."

   He added that he had invited others in congress "to match my private, personal contribution of $100 which, if accepted by the 435 Members of the House of Representatives, would more than satisfy the $30,000 cost necessary to mint and award a gold medal to the well-deserving Cardinal O'Connor."

   "For the record," Paul concluded in his statement, "not a single Representative who solicited my support for spending taxpayer's money, was willing to contribute their own money to demonstrate the courage of their so-called convictions and generosity.

   "It is, of course, very easy to be generous with other people's money."

   H.R. 3557 was introduced on January 31, 2000 -- and the timing may be particularly significant. The measure was proposed in the midst of a controversial and divisive debate over selecting the next official Chaplain of the House of Representatives. It is an issue which has led to accusations of sectarian bias, political bone-throwing, and even anti-Catholic discrimination.

   Indeed, H.R. 3557 is the second piece of "Catholic friendly" legislation which has come out of the House in the last 11 days. Is it just coincidence?

   In December, word broke on capitol hill that many representatives were surprised and even disgruntled over House Speaker Dennis Hastert's (R-Ill) selection of a Presbyterian, Rev. Charles Parker Wright, to replace the outgoing congressional chaplain who was retiring after 21 years of service.

   An 18-member congressional committee with equal representation of Republicans and Democrats spent several months interviewing forty-seven candidates for the House chaplaincy. A final list was drawn up, and included two Protestants -- Rev. Charles Parker Wright, a Presbyterian and Rev. Robert Dvorak of the Evangelical Covenant Church -- along with Roman Catholic priest Timothy J. O'Brien.

"One could ask, Why is this being done? We have had Catholic School Week celebrated in this country for years and years. I hope the same level of pro-Catholicism exists when the House later this month has before it the appointment of a chaplain..." Rep. Jerry Kleczka

   Immediately prior to the Thanksgiving recess, Mr. Hastert announced his selection of Rev. Wright. Charges of religious bias quickly followed. The Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights claimed that House Republicans were showing a pro-Protestant bias. Democrats joined in, suggesting that the selection of another Protestant for the post was a political bone to the GOP's religious right, which is composed mostly of fundamentalist and evangelicals.

   Finally, Father O'Brien went public, and told the Washington Post, "I do believe that if I were not a Catholic priest I would be the (next) House chaplain..."

   The issue again made headlines in the first week of February when lawmakers approved H.R. 409, a resolution "Honoring the contributions of Catholic schools."

   "One could ask, why is this being done?" remarked Rep. Jerry Kleczka (D-Wis.) "We have had Catholic School Week celebrated in this country for years and years. I hope the same level of pro-Catholicism exists when the House later this month has before it the appointment of a chaplain..."

   Today's award of the Congressional Gold Medal to Cardinal O'Connor comes during an awkward period for the House, and certainly has the appearance of being politically timed. As of this afternoon, however, no Democrats on the hill have suggested that H.R. 3557 was introduced in hopes of obfuscating the fuss over the House chaplain's position.

   The award does present serious constitutional problems, though, and ignores O'Connor's controversial stand on social issues. The Roman Catholic leader has been the focus of protest by gay rights groups, women's' organizations, civil libertarians, state-church separationists and the pro-choice movement. Another peculiar feature of H.R. 3557 is yesterday's anniversary of the late Ayatollah Khomeini's "fatwa" or death sentence on novelist Salman Rushdie. Rushdie's book "The Satanic Verses" was condemned by the Iranian religious leader, and became the focus of protests by Islamic groups throughout the world, Even many Jewish, Protestant and Roman Catholic leaders -- including O'Connor -- condemned the novel as "blasphemous." O'Connor used his N.Y. pulpit to declare that Rushdie had "insulted religion," but admitted that he had not, and would not, read the novel.

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