WASHINGTON, D.C. - Education & the Workforce Committee Chairman John Boehner today commended the House for its passage (233-198) of H.R. 7, the Community Solutions Act, which will allow faith-based organizations to participate in several programs under the committee’s jurisdiction.

          “President Bush recognizes that faith-based and other charitable groups play an important role in providing social services and combating our nation’s most urgent social problems,” Boehner said. “By passing this important and broadly popular bill, the House brought an essential component of the President’s vision of compassionate conservatism one step closer to reality.”

          “The Community Solutions Act will benefit charity programs in my district and across the country,” Boehner continued. “An initiative called Reach Out Lakota, located in West Chester, Ohio, is but one example. The program began as a one-time Christmas charity event almost 8 years ago; now it’s a year-round charitable organization that provides food, clothing, and other social services to about 45 families a month.”

          “With its important safeguards against excessive government entanglement with religion and religious discrimination, this bill gives faith-based and other charitable organizations a chance to compete for federal government dollars and help improve the social health of our cities and communities without raising constitutional concerns,” added Boehner.

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