Bush Establishes White House Office for Faith-Based Charities

By Stuart Gorin
Washington File Staff Writer

Washington -- President Bush has established a White House office for faith-based charities that is expected to distribute federal funds -- thousands of millions of dollars over the next 10 years -- to help those in need.

"Compassion is the work of a nation, not just a government," Bush said January 29 at the White House, where he signed two executive orders, one to establish the White House Office of Faith-based and Community Initiatives and the other instructing five Cabinet-level agencies to create organizations that will work with the religious groups.

The first executive order states that faith-based and other community organizations are "indispensable in meeting the needs of poor Americans and distressed neighborhoods. Government cannot be replaced by such organizations, but it can and should welcome them as partners."

The order adds that "the paramount goal is compassionate results, and private and charitable community groups, including religious ones, should have the fullest opportunity permitted by law to compete on a level playing field, so long as they achieve valid public purposes, such as curbing crime, conquering addiction, strengthening families and neighborhoods, and overcoming poverty."

The second executive order, which pertains to establishing centers within the Justice Department, the Department of Education, the Department of Labor, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, states that the centers' purpose will be to "coordinate department efforts to eliminate regulatory, contracting and other programmatic obstacles to the participation of faith-based and other community organizations in the provision of social services."

Bush selected John DiIulio, a political science professor at the University of Pennsylvania, to head the office, and Stephen Goldsmith, a former mayor of Indianapolis, Indiana, to head the Corporation for National Service, which will work in cooperation with the White House office.

"A compassionate society," the president said, "is one which recognizes the great power of faith. He also pointed out that the federal monies will be distributed to a wide range of religious organizations, including Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish and Muslim, representatives of which were present at Bush's announcement.

"This is a collection of some of the finest America has got to offer, people who lead with their hearts and, in turn, have changed the communities in which they live, for the better," Bush said.

"When we see social needs in America, my administration will look first to faith-based programs and community groups, which have proven their power to save and change lives," he added. "We will not fund the religious activities of any group, but when people of faith provide social services, we will not discriminate against them. As long as there are secular alternatives, faith-based charities should be able to compete for funding on an equal basis and in a manner that does not cause them to sacrifice their mission."