Legislative Alert: Two action items need immediate attention. The House of Representatives is planning to schedule votes on two separate bills today, May 2, and perhaps tomorrow (the National Day of Prayer). BOTH MUST BE OPPOSED.
1) Head Start Reauthorization. While this may be a worthwhile program, there is no legislative language to protect the hiring rights of faith-based organizations wishing to participate and help high risk children from low income families. Congressman Shuler offered a “fig leaf” amendment in committee, praising the work of faith-based organizations but telling them they have to give up their rights if they want to participate in Head Start.
The landmark 1964 Civil Rights Act explicitly protects the rights of religious organizations to take religion into account in their hiring practices. In fact, the Civil Rights Act made clear that when faith-based organizations hire employees on a religious basis, it is an exercise of the organization’s civil liberties and does not constitute “discrimination” under federal law. Faith-based organizations have a federally protected right to maintain their religious nature and character through those they hire and nothing in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 provides that a religious organization loses its rights merely because it receives federal funds. These organizations willing to serve their communities by participating in federal programs should not be forced to give up that right.*
CALL TO ACTION: Please call your Congressman immediately and urge him/her to vote NO on the Head Start bill (H.R. 1429) because it does not protect the hiring rights of faith-based organizations.
http://www.breakpoint.org/generic.asp?ID=6465
Richard A. Angulo
561 454-1669 o
954 445-4544 c
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