Elijah Cummings: “I stand here in support of faith-based entities who have long worked to address social ills. In fact, we just recently…”

“I stand here in support of faith-based entities who have long worked to address social ills. In fact, we just recently, earlier this week, paid a tribute to the efforts of these entities and encouraged private corporations to contribute to their worthwhile efforts. This Congress will also likely consider proposals aimed at providing government funding to faith-based entities, Charitable Choice. However, I have grave concerns with those proposals and believe that before adopting them, they merit serious examination to ensure that they do not work to dilute our Nation's constitutional principles and civil rights law. First, are we prepared to modify our constitutional principle of separation of church and state to one promoting a church state? The First Amendment says Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. This clause was intended to erect a wall of separation between church and state. In essence, our Nation has been successful in preventing the church from controlling the state and the state from controlling the religion. The current faith-based proposals threaten this very important principle. Which religious entities will qualify for the government funding? Will the more dominant or better financed faiths be awarded the grants? The government will be forced to choose one religion or denomination over the other.”