Bush 'faith-based' initiative clears
House Ways and Means Committee
from Americans United for Separation of Church and State
July 12, 2001 [posted here on 7-16-01]
Measure Is Deeply Flawed, Says AU's Lynn
A key component of President George W. Bush's "faith-based
initiative" cleared the House Ways and Means Committee yesterday,
and the plan is now headed for a vote in the full House, despite its
serious church-state flaws.
On a party-line vote of 23-16, the committee approved changes to the tax
code, allegedly with the aim of spurring more charitable giving. These
aspects of the bill have been overshadowed by the more controversial
provision of the initiative that gives direct government funding to
religious groups to provide social services, a concept known as
"charitable choice."
The Community Solutions Act (H.R. 7) now is ready for a floor vote on
the House floor, perhaps as early as next week. Americans United
Executive Director the Rev. Barry W. Lynn urged the full House to reject
the bill.
"This bill is misnamed," Lynn said. "It purports to offer
communities solutions to their problems, but in reality it is little
more than a giant battering ram aimed at the wall of separation between
church and state."
Lynn noted that the bill directs tax aid to churches and other sectarian
organizations with no meaningful oversight. He said it allows religious
discrimination with public funds, subjects needy people to religious
pressures and entangles government with religion.
Lynn added that the tax breaks approved yesterday are insignificant.
While ostensibly designed to spur charitable giving among taxpayers who
do notitemize deductions, the bill, according to media reports, would
offer most of these taxpayers a break amounting to $3.75 per year --
about one cent a day.
The Americans United leader said this demonstrates that approving direct
federal aid to religion has been the primary objective of the Bush plan
all along.
"This absurd 'benefit' proves that all of this talk about tax
breaks and sparking charitable giving is window dressing," said
Lynn. "The real goal of the Bush 'faith-based initiative' is to
usher in a new era of government-supported religion. It's a disastrous
idea and one that the American people do not want. I am counting on the
House to put a stop to this reckless proposal by voting it down when it
comes to floor."
Americans United is a religious liberty watchdog group based in
Washington, D.C. Founded in 1947, the organization educates
Americans about the importance of church-state separation in
safeguarding religious freedom.
To check AU's full coverage of the White House faith-based initiative,
visit their online report at www.au.org/faithbased.htm
