Opening Statement of the Hon. Benjamin L. Cardin, a Representative in Congress from the State of Maryland

Hearing on H.R. 7, the "Community Solutions Act of 2001"

June 14, 2001

Regrettably, during the recent discussion about President Bush's faith-based proposal, a simple fact tends to get overshadowed -- there is already a tradition of support and cooperation between government and religious charities. United Jewish Communities, Catholic Charities, Lutheran Services and many other religiously-affiliated charities receive significant portions of their budgets from Federal, State and local governments.

The armies of faith and compassion to which the President so often refers are already marching -- and they are doing so not only with our thanks and blessing, but also with direct government assistance.

However, these organizations have established specific safeguards to prevent clear violations against the Constitution, such as using Federal funds to promote the advancement of a specific religion.

To the extent President Bush now wants to tear down some of these firewalls between church and state, he is confronted with a number of questions for which his Administration has yet to provide an adequate response. For example, to ensure that government is funding secular services and not religious messages, does the Administration really want to subject churches, synagogues, and mosques to regular government audits?

I understand the President's desire to open the door to Federal assistance more widely to smaller faith-based organizations, and I stand ready to help him in that endeavor.

But rather than establish a by-pass around Constitutional protections designed to ensure the freedom of religion, our efforts may be better directed towards helping smaller faith-based groups navigate the Federal grant-making process. Providing technical assistance in the design of programs, and helping them establish separate not-for-profit entities to provide government-funded services would be a good start.

Before I conclude, let me express my greatest disappointment with President Bush's proposal to enlist more faith-based groups to meet the needs of the poor. The President's plan, as well as HR 7, provides almost no new resources to help people escape poverty. The scheme to extend the reach of charitable choice merely puts more spoons into a bowl too small for the mouths that already depend on it for nourishment.

To expand access to affordable housing, treatment for substance abuse, quality child care, hunger-relief efforts and other causes to which HR 7 would apply charitable choice, we need to increase our Nation's investments, not just shift funding streams. Otherwise, we will establish little more than a shell game.

I look forward to hearing from our witnesses today, and hopefully to establishing a bipartisan appreciation for what religious charities already do with the assistance of government, and what more they could do if our wallets only meet our rhetoric.

Unfortunately, there is no one from the Administration here with us today to directly respond to some of the concerns that have been expressed about the President's proposal, so I guess we will have to soldier on without them. Thank you.