Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, we have had this debate before. We had it in subcommittee, we had it in committee, and the same rhetoric is here on the floor today. The opposition and the Woolsey amendment would roll back time and take us back prior to 1998 and prior to 1964. The underlying bill, H.R. 3030, preserves religious freedom and religious participation by faith-based organizations in community service. Current law makes it clear that when faith-based organizations participate in Community Service Block Grants, they can indeed take religion into account in their hiring practices. They are not discriminating. Current law recognizes that faith-based organizations should not be asked to compromise their religious character as a condition of using Federal funds to help those who are in need. Repealing the 1998 law would needlessly strip faith-based organizations of their rights, rights that have been guaranteed to them by title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and this has been upheld consistently since then by the courts, most notably by the Supreme Court in Bowen v. Kendrick. Community Service Block Grants allow faith-based groups to utilize Federal funds for secular purposes, feeding and clothing the needy, helping those out of work to find jobs, and they do so without compromising their essential character. The underlying legislation would continue to provide this opportunity for faith-based organizations.”