c. 2005 Religion News Service

WASHINGTON _ President Bush continued his push to increase government funding of faith-based organizations Tuesday (March 1), outlining plans for his second term and reviewing advances since he introduced his initiative in 2001.

“The goal is, over the next four years, to change the culture permanently so faith- and community-based organizations will be welcomed into the grant-making process of government,” the president said at a White House Faith-based and Community Initiatives Leadership Conference held at a Washington hotel.

The president outlined four steps he hopes to take in the next four years. The plan has Bush:

_ Expanding opportunities for people in need to choose faith-based options;

_ Applying pressure on Congress to pass legislation that supports his initiative;

_ Continuing to encourage governors and mayors to help faith-based organizations in their states and cities;

_ Supporting tax incentives that could enhance charitable giving.

Bush said the percentage of grants to faith-based organizations from key federal agencies increased from 8.1 percent in fiscal year 2003 to 10.3 percent a year later.

“Ten percent isn’t perfect,” the president said, addressing some 300 religious and political leaders for more than 40 minutes. “Ten percent is progress. That means about $2 billion in grants were awarded last year to religious charities.”

Bush condemned the “roadblocks” that continue to prevent some faith-based organizations from getting governmental funding even as he made several proposals for overcoming them. He called those barriers a “culture of process instead of results” that has been “unfriendly to faith-based organizations” at the local, state and federal levels.

The president said he hopes to expand on the philosophy behind the Access to Recovery program, which allows individuals to choose which provider _ including faith-based ones _ will best help them overcome drug or alcohol addiction. He has asked administration officials to determine similar ways to include such options for other social services, including mentoring, transitional housing and assistance for the homeless.

To skeptics who say people in need aren’t able to make such choices, the president declared: “I firmly reject that point of view,” drawing applause.

Bush has made it clear that he wants the initiative to expand beyond the federal level to state and local governments. He hopes they will welcome programs offered by faith-based organizations and permit them to bid on grants. In a speech Monday (Feb. 28) to the National Governors Association, Bush said 24 governors have created an office addressing faith-based initiatives and urged those who had not to launch their own faith-based offices.

He also intends to continue to seek congressional passage of legislation that would permit faith-based organizations to compete equally for federal money while protecting their right to hire employees of a particular faith. The president signed an executive order when proposed legislation “got stuck” in Congress but he said, “I believe that executive order ought to be codified into federal law, and Congress needs to act this year to do so.”

His proposals concerning tax incentives would permit greater deductions for food donations and tax-free charitable contributions from Individual Retirement Accounts.

Cardinal William Keeler of Baltimore, who gave an opening prayer at the half-day conference, was supportive of Bush’s continuing plans.

“It was very encouraging,” Keeler said in an interview. “The four principles that he set forth sound to be both practical and achievable and they represent a continuing challenge to the faith community in the United States to do its best to take advantage of opportunities which are offered.”

On the same day as Bush’s speech, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, a vocal opponent to his faith-based initiative, issued a statement urging House members not to support a jobs training bill that would permit government-funded religious organizations to take into account religious beliefs in hiring decisions.

“Religious discrimination has no place in government-funded programs,” said the Rev. Barry Lynn, executive director of the Washington-based watchdog group.

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