For months, Republicans in Congress have sought to block a Federal Communications Commission program to license hundreds of new low-power radio stations. But now the first batch of applications for the stations has come in, and it turns out that about half are from religious organizations, mostly the sorts of fundamentalist churches active in conservative Republican politics.

From Horizon Christian Fellowship in San Diego to In His Image Outreach Ministries in East Greenwich, R.I., hundreds of evangelical churches are asking for space on the airwaves to spread the Gospel. Some simply want to read Scripture verbatim; others want to preach against abortion.

They will not get the chance, however, if the Republican Congressional leadership -- lined up on the side of big broadcasting companies and their lobbying group -- gets its way. And that has left many of the applicants and their supporters frustrated, while offering a fresh reminder of the divisions that persist in the Republican Party.