Bush challenges Senate to pass `faith-based' legislative package. (People & Events).

President George W. Bush and congressional Republicans are continuing pressure on the Senate to secure passage of the "faith-based" initiative before the November elections.

Speaking at the First African Methodist Episcopal Renaissance Center in Los Angeles April 29, Bush called for passage of the measure, remarking, "I don't want government to be the church, and I don't want the church to be the government. But government should not fear faith and faith-based programs. I know what faith can mean in somebody's life. That's why I remind people I'm just a humble sinner who sought redemption."

The next day, Bush spoke in San Jose, mentioning similar themes. "In overcoming poverty and dependence, we must also promote the work of charities and community groups and faith-based institutions," Bush said. "These organizations, such as shelters for battered women or mentoring programs for fatherless children or drug treatment centers, inspire hope in a way that government never can. Often, they inspire life-changing faith in a way that government never should."

Continued Bush, "Our government should view the good Americans that work in faith-based charities as partners, not rivals. We must provide new incentives for charitable giving and, when it comes to providing federal resources to effective programs, we should not discriminate against private and religious groups."

A few weeks later Bush raised the issue again while addressing the National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C. Speaking of the need to pass the initiative, Bush told the crowd, "We know how important faith can be, and we know that faith without works, without action, is dead. True faith is never isolated from the rest of life. It proves itself through actions and sacrifice, through acts of kindness and caring for those in need."

Bush frequently lapsed into snippets of Spanish during his remarks, and at one point told the gathering, "Prayer reminds us that a great people must be humble before God, searching for wisdom, constantly searching for wisdom from the almighty Dios."

The "faith-based" initiative currently under consideration is called the Charity, Aid, Recovery and Empowerment (CARE) Act of 2002 (S. 1924). Sponsored by Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) and Joseph I. Lieberman (D-Conn.), the bill is a radically scaled-down version of the proposal Bush originally sought.

Bush wanted to find a way to steer tax money directly to religious groups without requiring them to omit religious activity from their programs or stop discriminating on the basis of religion when hiring staff. The House of Representatives did pass a measure like that (H.R. 7), but it has gone nowhere in the Democratic-controlled Senate.

In the interest of getting something passed, Bush has backed the more modest Senate bill, which focuses mostly on altering the tax code to spur more charitable giving.

Americans United still has concerns about some features of the bill. Specifically, AU opposes Title III, which allows religious groups to receive government grants even though they may post unlimited amounts of religious icons and scriptures and impose religious qualifications on their boards of directors.

On May 2, voucher advocate Michael S. Joyce co-sponsored a rally on Capitol Hill designed to give the CARE Act a boost. Speakers included Santorum, Lieberman, Jim Towey, director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, and Ron Carroll of the Boy Scouts of America.

Joyce is president and founder of a group called Americans for Community and Faith-Centered Enterprise, which he formed to lobby for the faith-based initiative. The event had the feel of a religious service, with performances from a Christian school children's choir and remarks from the Rev. Danny DeLeon, pastor of Templo Calvario in Santa Ana, Calif.

That same day, a group of congressional opponents held a press conference to express their concerns about the bill.

"People are killing each other today in places where government is mixed with religion," said U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards (D-Texas). "Do we really want to do this?"