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[ELCANEWS@ELCASCO.ELCA.ORG]

ELCA NEWS SERVICE NEWSBRIEF

August 21, 1996

BISHOPS ON CAPITOL HILL

About 20 of the 65 synod bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America (ELCA) will meet government officials and catch
up on key issues before Congress while they're on Capitol Hill in
Washington, D.C., Sept. 18-20.  The ELCA Department for Synodical
Relations, Lutheran Office for Governmental Affairs (LOGA) and
Metropolitan Washington, D.C., Synod sponsor the bishops'
briefing.  Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist will discuss
matters of the judicial branch of government with the bishops.
Rehnquist is an ELCA member.  The bishops have extended
invitations to meet with President Bill Clinton and former
senator Bob Dole, candidates for president in the November
elections.  They also plan to meet with Interior Secretary Bruce
Babbitt; Anthony Lake, assistant to the president for national
security affairs; and Health and Human Services Secretary Donna
Shalala.  LOGA will present information on current legislation
and prepare the bishops for personal meetings with members of
Congress who represent the people of their synods.

For information contact: Ann Hafften, Dir., ELCA News Service,
(312) 380-2958; Frank Imhoff, Assoc. Dir., (312) 380-2955