| WASHINGTON - November 8 - President George W. Bush has written to Senate leaders, urging them to move forward on several provisions of his "faith-based" initiative this year.
In his Nov. 7 letter to Majority Leader Tom Daschle and Minority Leader Trent Lott, Bush said Americans have contributed generously to groups offering assistance related to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, but that other charities may suffer a drop-off in donations. As a result, Bush insisted that an "Armies of Compassion" bill should be passed before the end of this congressional session.
Americans United for Separation of Church and State, which has spearheaded opposition to unconstitutional provisions in the Bush faith-based scheme, urged the Senate to exercise extreme caution in drafting such legislation.
"The last thing the nation needs at this critical time is a controversial proposal that divides Americans," said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United.
Bush's letter calls for legislation offering tax incentives for charitable donations, as well as "equal treatment of community and faith-based charities."
AU's Lynn said, "There are no constitutional objections to tax incentives that encourage giving to charities, but direct funding of religion is another matter altogether.
"When the president talks about 'equal treatment' for religious groups, I am concerned that he means 'special treatment,'" continued Lynn. "The administration has repeatedly urged Congress to fund religious groups without requiring them to play by the same rules that other groups play by."
The president's initiative passed the House of Representatives in July. It has stalled in the Senate, however, over concerns that the so-called "charitable choice" components of the initiative violate the First Amendment. Those provisions undercut civil rights laws by allowing religiously based employment discrimination with tax dollars, pit houses of worship against each other in a bid for federal funding and could subject needy Americans to unwanted proselytism.
"Interfaith peace is especially important in these difficult times," Lynn said. "Under the plan passed by the House, a fundamentalist Christian charity could run a federally funded social service program and hang out a sign saying, 'No Catholics, Jews, non-believers or Muslims need apply for work here.' In a time when we are trying to bring all Americans together, this approach couldn't be more misguided."
Bush, in his recent letter to the Senate, indicated that contributions to New York relief efforts will leave other charities without needed donations. There is evidence, however, that he is mistaken. In a poll commissioned last month by the Independent Sector, 59 percent of those who contributed to Sept. 11-related assistance said they plan to continue with their normal charitable donations to other groups. An additional 14 percent of contributors plan to give even more to other causes this year.
"President Bush should use his bully pulpit to urge his fellow Americans to contribute voluntarily to worthy causes," Lynn added. "This would be a straightforward and simple way to help charitable organizations, and it would avoid constitutional questions. I am certain the nation would respond generously."
As the Bush administration's interest in pushing the proposal in the Senate increases, AU's Lynn said opponents of the initiative should make their voices heard.
"It is important that Americans contact their senators to relay their concern over reckless provisions in the faith-based initiative," concluded Lynn. "Insist that your senators vote against any measure that includes public funding of churches and other houses of worship. Federal funding for religion was a bad idea before Sept. 11, and it is still a bad idea today."
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.
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