Critics see Bush ploy to help religious groups

WASHINGTON--Some say the Bush administration is attempting an endrun around Congress to accomplish a centerpiece of the president'sdomestic policy: enabling religious groups to obtain federal moneyfor charitable works.

On Thursday, White House officials unveiled a report that saysreligious groups face unfair barriers from overwhelming regulationsto excessive restrictions on religious activities in trying to winfederal grants. The officials suggest that at the very least, acultural change needs to occur inside federal agencies to eliminatebiases against faith-based groups.

"The law's on the books, but it's not being followed," said JohnDiIulio Jr., director of the White House Office of Faith-Based andCommunity Initiatives.

Critics attacked the report as a ploy aimed at giving faith-basedgroups an edge in applying for federal money.

"The administration, in fact, does not want a level playingfield," said the Rev. Barry Lynn, executive director of AmericansUnited for Separation of Church and State. "They want a field that'stilted to granting special privilege to small religious groups."

President Clinton signed into law the charitable choice provisionas part of the 1996 welfare reform act, allowing faith-based groupsto compete for federal grant money. President Bush hopes to expandthe provision to include other social service programs, but theconcept is controversial.

"To large extent we view charitable choice as a solution in searchof a problem," said Richard Foltin, legislative director for theAmerican Jewish Committee.

This year, the House passed a version of the president's faith-based initiative by a 233-198 vote. But it is not expected to passthe Senate in its current form. Senators such as Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.) have expressed worries about using taxpayers' money to financediscriminatory hiring practices.

White House officials said they are working to craft legislationthat would succeed in the Senate.

"We are working in good faith with Senators Lieberman and (Rick)Santorum (R-Pa.)," said John Bridgeland, director of White HouseDomestic Policy Council.

But proponents of maintaining a separation of church and stateinterpreted the report as a signal the White House will use othermethods to carry out its goals.