Jim Demint has just offered an amendment (#189) to the stimulus bill that would strike a provision preventing the funding of University facilities used for “sectarian instruction, religious worship, or a school or department of divinity; or in which a substantial portion of the functions of the facilities are subsumed in a religious mission.”

According to the American Center for Law and Justice, “Because the nature of a school’s mission determines the nature of every function that takes place on its property and in its facilities, subsection (ii) of the building funds provision would effectively bar every religiously-affiliated institution of higher learning from receiving federal building funds.”

CORRECTION — Demint’s office emails to say that the provision is even broader than the description above suggests:

Despite the ACLJ line about “religious institutions,” the discrimination in the stimulus is FAR broader. It would effect EVERY university or college in the nation (public or private) that takes federal funds from the stimulus to upgrade buildings or facilities. Its says that any school that uses the funds cannot allow religious activities in that building. DeMint explains this very clearly here.