Posted on 09/22/2003 11:27:55 AM PDT by bedolido
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Four government regulations completed on Monday and a half-dozen more in the works will provide federal money for religion-oriented programs run by people President Bush has dubbed America's "neighborhood healers."
Cabinet members met with the president at the White House to discuss ways agencies are eliminating barriers that have kept "faith-based" groups from obtaining federal grants to help people in need.
"These six new regulations and the four finalized ones represent a continued march by the president in the faith-based initiative's effort to spread compassion in our country and make sure that the most effective programs are funded," said Jim Towey, the head of the White House faith-based office.
"He wants to see results. This is not about funding religion, but about funding results and identifying the most effective providers and knocking down the wall that separates the poor from these programs."
The White House also announced that the Department of Health and Human Services has awarded $30.5 million in grants to 81 organizations, which will use the money to provide technical assistance and sub-grants to church-related and community groups in 45 states
Last year, $24 million in grants from the Compassion Capital Fund were awarded to help 21 small charities, including religious groups, expand their programs.
The president has long pushed to let religious groups compete for government money, so long as their services are available to anybody in need. Opponents fear the government would wind up paying for religion. They also object to allowing taxpayer-funded groups to hire and fire based on religious persuasion.
When his initiative stalled in Congress amid this controversy, Bush sidestepped lawmakers with executive orders and regulations to give religious organizations equal footing with nonsectarian ones in competing for federal contracts.
Labor Secretary Elaine Chao announced two changes to regulations that will remove barriers to faith-based organizations. One will let training vouchers be used by people pursuing faith-based careers.
"Currently these vouchers can be used to purchase training for any occupation with this one exception," Chao said.
The second one is intended to help faith-based institutions compete for federal contracts. Currently, religious institutions can be barred from competing for federal contracts if they hire staff in accordance with their religious beliefs, she said.
"We will revise this regulation and make it clear that faith-based institutions that secure government funding and contracts are not barred from hiring members of their own faith," Chao said.
Mel Martinez, secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, said regulations have been completed making faith-based groups eligible to compete for $8 billion in housing grants.
"This is a monumental thing for us because in the past we have seen not only a negative feeling, but outright hostility to organizations of faith," Martinez said.
HHS has finalized regulations giving faith-based organizations access to nearly $20 billion in social service grants under the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program and the Community Services Block Grant program.
Bush also was briefed on six new regulatory or policy changes proposed at the Justice, Education, Labor and Veterans Affairs departments.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Been doing this for years.
Two words.
GI BILL.
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