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Thursday, May 19, 2005

Head Start Bill Could Be Comprimised
The House Education and the Workforce Committee on Wednesday unanimously approved a Head Start reauthorization bill that is likely to encounter tougher passage on the floor because of a partisan dispute.

The panel voted 48-0 for the legislation (HR 2123), which would rewrite the guidelines for the $6.8 billion federal child development program that is operated locally by nonprofit organizations and religious charities. Head Start was last reauthorized in 1998 (PL 105-285).

Congress has struggled for two years to reauthorize the program because of a battle over a White House proposal for some states to take over their local centers.

Posted by Jennifer Lowe, 05:04:32 PM

Tuesday, May 17, 2005

Bush Encourages More Faith-Based Work, Despite Cuts
The administration is encouraging faith-based organizations to engaged in a type of "social entrepreneurship".

Bush, who says both faith-based and secular groups play a vital role in the difficult task of bringing relief to the distressed and impoverished. But the president's budget proposals say something else when it comes to the nation's fight against poverty.

Bush has pushed for increased funding for religion-based groups while proposing deep cuts for many traditional anti-poverty programs. The result is that many small church- and community-based social service programs are slowly assuming the lead role in the war on poverty once held by long-established community development organizations. Administration officials say that faith-based groups are often less expensive and more effective in helping the needy, a contention that traditional service providers challenge.

For the whole scoop!

Posted by Jennifer Lowe, 11:15:45 AM

Friday, May 13, 2005

Judge Orders Trial on Faith-Based Prison Program
A legal challenge to Iowa's InnerChange Freedom Initiative filed by Americans United for Separation of Church and State (AU) two years ago will proceed to trial, after a federal judge denied the state's motion to dismiss.

AU charges that the prison system gives preferential treatment to inmates in the program, whichis operated by Prison Fellowship Ministries. Au also alleges that inmates must embrace evangelical principles to be eligible.

The trial will focus on three questions:

did the state favor the faith-based provider over others in grant competition
were inmates coerced or pressured to participate, and
whether Inner Change is a pervavsively sectarian organization.

For details see the Religion and Social Welfare Roundtable newsletter.

Posted by Kay Guinane, 05:44:23 PM

Sen. Clinton Warns Federal Funds for Nonprofits Under Attack
On May 10 Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) told a summit meeting of nonprofit groups that tax cuts and the proposed repeal of the estate tax threaten federally funded programs for housing, health care, arts, the environment and more.

For details see THE DAILY JOURNAL.

Tuesday, May 10, 2005

Boehner Threatens to Strip Hiring Provisions from Head Start
On May 5th, House Republicans introduced their version of Head Start reauthorization.

Currently, the hiring provisions remain in-tact, but Rep. Boehner is committed to stripping the civil rights protections as the bill progresses through the legislative process. BOEHNER COMMITTED TO ADDING FAITH-BASED HIRING PROTECTIONS ON HOUSE FLOOR Boehner also said he is committed to adding language to the bill that will ensure faith-based organizations can compete for federal Head Start grants without surrendering their constitutionally-protected right to take religion into account in their hiring practices. Committee Republicans have fought to restore this right for faith-based organizations in other federal laws such as the Workforce Investment Act and are committed to doing the same in Head Start, Boehner said. "The faith-based hiring issue is an incredibly important issue that deserves an affirmative debate on the House floor. I look forward to that debate, and I look forward to winning," Boehner said.

Posted by Jennifer Lowe, 07:55:40 AM

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