Charitable Choice Provisions of H.R. 7 (CRS Report for Congress)
| Release Date |
Revised June 14, 2004 |
| Report Number |
RS20948 |
| Report Type |
Report |
| Authors |
Vee Burke, Domestic Social Policy Division |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
| Older Revisions |
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Premium July 21, 2001 (6 pages, $24.95)
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Summary:
H.R. 7 , the Community Solutions Act, on July 19, 2001, won House passage by a vote
of 233-198. The bill includes basic elements of President Bush's faith-based initiatives: tax
incentives for private giving -- scaled back from original proposals (Title I) -- and expansion of
charitable choice (Title II). (Title III deals with individual development accounts.)
H.R. 7 would apply to 9 new program areas "charitable choice" rules, which
forbid
discrimination on grounds of religion against faith-based organizations as providers of specified
federally funded services. It includes provisions aimed at protecting the religious independence of
faith-based organizations (for instance, the right to hire only co-religionists and retain symbols) and
protecting the religious freedom of beneficiaries (for instance, the right to an alternate and accessible
provider). The bill bars use of federal grant/cooperative agreement funds (but not voucher payments)
for sectarian worship. Note: This bill expired at the end of the 107th Congress. President Bush then
issued an Executive Order (O13279) directing several Cabinet departments to adopt charitable choice
rules "to the extent permitted by law."
