Groups advise Bush to drop effort to revive faith initiative

A broad array of national groups has urged President George W. Bush to postpone action on the controversial "charitable choice" provision in his "faith-based initiative."

In a joint letter to Bush Oct. 3, 44 major national labor, education, religious, civil rights and civil liberties groups, including Americans United, asked the president not to push for passage of the most divisive aspects of the "faith-based" package at a time when Americans are striving for national unity.

Recent news media reports have indicated that some Bush advisors want to press for the administration proposal now to take advantage of the bipartisan spirit in Congress and the country. On Sept. 25 The Washington Post reported that some Bush advisors believe the swell in religiosity after the terrorist attacks has created an atmosphere favorable to the faithbased initiative.

"There's an immediate need for an infusion of support to community-serving organizations," one anonymous advisor told The Post. White House Deputy Public Liaison Tim Goeglein later added that Bush hopes to sign the measure into law by the end of the year.

But the groups signing the letter to Bush urged caution. Any effort to advance the "charitable choice" provision of the faith-based package, they warned, would raise religiously divisive issues and meet with strong resistance.

"People of all faiths - and those of no religion - are uniting together as Americans," said the joint letter. "This is no time to divide us along religious lines."

The president's "charitable choice" proposal allows churches and other ministries to receive government grants and contracts and still discriminate on religious grounds in hiring staff. In addition, the provision threatens church-state separation, exposes needy Americans to unwanted proselytism and undercuts the independence of religious organizations. (Other aspects of the Bush faith-based plan - such as tax incentives for donations to church-affiliated and other charities - are supported by broad consensus and would likely pass the Senate with little opposition.)

Said the letter to Bush, "In light of the recent tragic attacks on our nation, we, the undersigned religious, civil rights, labor, education, substance abuse and health organizations, are writing to urge you to hold off on any attempt to move the `Charitable Choice' aspect of your Faith-Based Initiative. While many of the undersigned groups support the major tax incentives you have proposed as part of this initiative, we are all strongly opposed to the religiously divisive `Charitable Choice' provisions.

"Recent media reports have indicated that some advisors in your Administration are hoping to `revive prospects' for the Faith-Based Initiative in the wake of the attacks, with some aides suggesting a new push for `Charitable Choice,'" the letter continued. "While we applaud your recent efforts to unite and rally the nation and spur charitable giving to victims and communities, Charitable Choice is only a step backward toward divisiveness."

For the full list of signers of the letter, visit Americans United's website at www.au.org.

Copyright Americans United for Separation of Church and State Nov 2001
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