Uncharitable Choice

PRESIDENT Bush’s point man on faith-based initiatives, John J. Dilulio, has been extremely vocal about the need for conservatives to support the administration’s charitable-choice proposal—but some conservatives are wary, and rightly so. The bill, now before Congress, risks two things: compromising the independence of religious groups, and tilting the ground between neighboring churches by turning some of them into federal grantees. For these and other reasons, Bush’s allies on Capitol Hill are increasingly pessimistic about the bill’s prospects.

The administration hoped for House passage of the charitable-choice proposal by early July, but Judiciary Committee chairman James Sensenbrenner, a Wisconsin Republican, recently alerted the White House that the measure is in serious trouble. Another GOP member—who, like Sensenbrenner, supports the initiative—says it will be watered down dramatically if the administration doesn’t do a better job of addressing the complicated constitutional issues involved in providing direct government aid to religious organizations.

About the Author

Kate O'Beirne

Featured Tags

PRESIDENT Bush’s point man on faith-based initiatives, John J. Dilulio, has been extremely vocal about the need for conservatives to support the administration’s charitable-choice proposal—but some conservatives are wary, and rightly so. The bill, now before Congress, risks two things: compromising the independence of religious groups, and tilting the ground between neighboring churches by turning some of them into federal grantees. For these and other reasons, Bush’s allies on Capitol Hill are increasingly pessimistic about the bill’s prospects.

The administration hoped for House passage of the charitable-choice proposal by early July, but Judiciary Committee chairman James Sensenbrenner, a Wisconsin Republican, recently alerted the White House that the measure is in serious trouble. Another GOP member—who, like Sensenbrenner, supports the initiative—says it will be watered down dramatically if the administration doesn’t do a better job of addressing the complicated constitutional issues involved in providing direct government aid to religious organizations.