Faith-Based Initiative Update - March 24, 2003 Vol. 4 No. 6

March 24, 2003 Vol. 4 No. 6:

Published: 03/24/2003

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Faith-Based Initiative Update

The House of Representatives is continuing to move forward with its faith-based agenda despite the fact that the CARE Act is stalled in the Senate amid controversy over issues relating to hiring discrimination, protection of beneficiaries, preemption of state and local laws and the role of intermediary organizations. (See March 4, 2003 Watcher for background.) Draft amendments are still circulating, but the Administration has made it clear it will veto the bill if it passes with a prohibition on religious discrimination for hiring in program positions paid for with federal funds.

In the House of Representatives the 21st Century Competitiveness Subcommittee of the Education and Workforce Committee voted out a version of H.R. 1261, the Workforce Reinvestment and Adult Education Act, that stripped out a 23 year old prohibition on religious discrimination in hiring for program positions funded by the Act. It is expected to go before the full Committee some time during the week of March 24. Meanwhile, the Subcommittee on Select Education has scheduled a hearing on the Citizens Service Act for April 1, where a similar proposal is expected. One Republican aide was reported as saying the hiring discrimination language will be raised in all legislation relating to the faith-based initiative.