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Current National Issues
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to take action!
Stop Federally Funded
Discrimination in the Social Services Block Grant Program
Oppose Any Attempt to Insert Government Funded
Discrimination
The Social Services
Block Grant (SSBG) program is the largest federal social services program,
addressing the needs of children and families, the elderly, and vulnerable
adults. Indeed, religious organizations are already among the main providers
of services with federal SSBG dollars. However, there is a threat that the
Senate majority may offer an amendment to the federal welfare bill once it
reaches the Senate floor that would allow federally funded service providers
of SSBG to discriminate against their employees in federal programs. It will
expose more American workers to discrimination paid for by federal dollars.
Since the welfare program was first authorized, the issue of federally
funded religious discrimination, as part of the faith-based initiative, has
become much more clear. Any amendment squarely raises, once again, the
divisive fight over government-funded discrimination and the preservation of
our nation’s longstanding commitment to civil rights protections. Any
Amendment to SSBG would constitute an attack on fundamental civil rights,
religious liberty and the ability of state and local government to enforce
their own civil rights laws. We urge the Senate to reject this effort.
Take Action!
PRESERVE RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Oppose Any Amendment On The House Floor To Weaken
Congressional Oversight Provision Contained In H.R. 2863
For Investigation Into Religious Coercion And Intolerance
At U.S. Air Force Academy
In April, Americans United for Separation of Church and State reported
numerous instances at the U.S. Air Force Academy of unconstitutional religious
coercion, harassment, and favoritism toward evangelical Christians. And although
some media accounts have since focused on coercion of cadets by more senior
cadets, Americans United determined that, collectively, the complaints of
unconstitutional conduct reflect a culture of religious intolerance that is
pervasive, systematic, and evident at the very highest levels of the Academy's
command structure.
Mr. Obey successfully offered an amendment to the Defense Appropriations
Bill, H.R. 2863, in committee. The amendment, which passed without objection,
protects cadets' religious freedom by requiring the Secretary of the Air Force
to take corrective measures, including developing and reporting to Congress a
plan "to ensure that the Air Force Academy maintains a climate free from
coercive religious intimidation and inappropriate proselytizing of cadets," as
well as requiring the Secretary to report on the circumstances surrounding the
removal of Chaplain Captain MeLinda Morton from her position at the Academy
after she attempted to take steps to correct some of the constitutional
violations.
These measures are necessary to protect the religious freedom of cadets and
to ensure that the Air Force's internal review of the religious intolerance and
coercion at the Academy is full and fair. Urge your congressperson to oppose any
attempts to weaken the Congressional oversight provision contained in H.R. 2863.
Take Action!
Don't allow civil rights rollbacks and religious discrimination
to be inserted into new Head Start bill!
Maintain the Bi-Partisan Direction of the School Readiness Act of 2005 (H.R.
2123) and
Leave Longstanding Critical Civil Rights Protections Intact.
Congressman Boehner plans to introduce an amendment on the House floor to
roll back longstanding critical civil rights protections. The critical
longstanding nondiscrimination provisions have been included in Head Start
legislation since 1981. This is a fundamental civil rights protection against
employment discrimination for Head Start teachers and volunteers. While this
bill has the potential to gain broad support from both parties and amongst
religious, civil rights, labor, education, health, and advocacy organizations,
that broad support will evaporate if there is any threat to remove the
longstanding critical civil rights protections in Head Start.
Religious organizations participating in the Head Start program make an
invaluable contribution to the education of thousands of students. These
religious organizations have complied with Head Start's existing civil rights
requirements. However, if the repeal of the existing civil rights protection
were to become law, teachers or parent volunteers working in any Head Start
program run by a religious organization could immediately lose their jobs
because of their religion. Students participating in Head Start therefore could
lose not only their teachers, but also the close programmatic connection with
their own parents volunteering in the program. Allowing discrimination based on
religion would significantly impede the important goals of Head Start, sending a
damaging message to Head Start students, and harming their education by
separating students from their own teachers and parent volunteers.
Urge your Congressperson to maintain the bipartisan direction of the School
Readiness Act (H.R. 2123) and reject any assault on civil rights protections in
federally-funded programs, especially a program as critical as Head Start. This
would destroy that bipartisanship nature of a program in which the education of
young children is so dependent on parent participation and on ongoing, close
relationships with Head Start teachers.
Take Action!
Don't Allow Federally-Funded Employment Discrimination in the Jobs-Training
Bill!
Major jobs-training bill repeals critical civil rights protections
The House of Representatives narrowly passed H.R. 27, “The Job Training
Improvement Act” which strips current civil rights protections. Since their
inception in 1982, these job-training programs have included important civil
rights protections against employment discrimination based on religion in
programs that receive federal funds.
Please CALL your SENATORS and urge him/her to OPPOSE H.R. 27, the "Job
Training Improvement Act," if it fails protect current civil rights law in
federally funded job training programs.
Take Action!
Houses of Worship Free Speech Restoration Act, HR 235
H.R. 235, sponsored by Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC), would turn the inner
sanctuaries and pulpits of America’s houses of worship into partisan political
rally halls.
Representative Jones offered a similar bill in the 107th Congress, entitled
the "Houses of Worship Political Speech Protection Act" which failed; H.R. 235
represents a modified version of that legislation, there remain significant
concerns about its implications for both our nation’s houses of worship and the
integrity of our political process.
This bill is currently under consideration by the House Ways and Means
Committee.
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