10758 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE May 25, 1999 Mrs. BOXER, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Mr. the assistance, to allow the organiza- In the past three years, we have DODD, Mr. ROCKEFELLER, Mr. BIDEN, tions to accept the funds to provide the begun to hear about how Charitable Mr. SCHUMER, Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. DUR- assistance to the individuals without Choice is opening doors for the govern- BIN, and Mr. KERRY): impairing the religious character of ment and communities of faith to work S. 1120 A bill to ensure that children en- the organizations or the religious free- rolled in medicaid and other Federal means- together to help our nation’s poor and tested programs at highest risk for lead poi- dom of the individuals, and for other needy gain hope and self-sufficiency. soning are identified and treated, and for purposes; to the Committee on Govern- For example, shortly after passage of other purposes; to the committee on Fi- mental Affairs. the federal welfare law, Governor nance. CHARITABLE CHOICE EXPANSION ACT OF 1999 George Bush of Texas signed an execu- Mr. LEAHY: Mr. ASHCROFT. Mr. President, tive order directing ‘‘all pertinent ex- S. 1121. A bill to amend the Clayton Act to America’s best ideas for helping the ecutive branch agencies to take all enhance the authority of the Attorney Gen- poor have come from grassroots com- necessary steps to implement the eral to prevent certain mergers and acquisi- munities and private organizations of ‘charitable choice’ provision of the fed- tions that would unreasonably limit com- people who know and care about their petition; to the Committee on the Judiciary. eral welfare law.’’ Cookman United By Mr. STEVENS: neighbors. These groups see people and Methodist Church, a 100 member parish S. 1122. An original bill making appropria- their life experiences, not theories or in Philadelphia, received a state con- tions for the Department of Defense for the statistics. We have known for years tract to run its ‘‘Transitional Journey fiscal year ending September 30, 2000, and for that government solutions have failed Ministry,’’ which provides life and job other purposes; from the Committee on Ap- miserably in moving people from de- skills to welfare mothers and places propriations; placed on the calendar. pendency and despair to responsibility them into jobs with benefits. In less By Ms. COLLINS (for herself, Mr. and independence. For years America’s than a year, the church placed 22 wel- FRIST, Mr. ABRAHAM, Ms. SNOWE, Mr. churches and charities have been lead- JEFFORDS, and Mr. COVERDELL): fare recipients into jobs. Payne Memo- ing the way in helping the poor achieve rial Outreach Center, an affiliate of a S. 1123. A bill to amend the Federal Food, dignity and self-sufficiency. This is Drug, and Cosmetic Act to improve the safe- Baltimore church, has helped over 450 ty of imported food, and for other purposes; why I have been advocating that gov- welfare recipients find jobs under a ernment should find ways to help these to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, state contract. and Forestry. organizations unleash the cultural In light of these success stories By Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire (for remedy our society so desperately around the nation, more and more himself, Mr. FRIST, Mr. BOND, Ms. needs. states and counties are beginning to LANDRIEU, Mr. ROBB, Mr. HAGEL, Mr. Therefore, it was with great interest see what a critical role the faith-based BREAUX, Mr. TORRICELLI, Mr. HELMS, that I heard about Vice President community can play in helping people Mr. INHOFE, Mr. DURBIN, and Mr. ED- GORE’s statements Monday in Atlanta move off of welfare. They are eager to WARDS): expressing his support for Charitable S.J. Res. 25. A joint resolution expressing Choice. The Vice President’s interest put the Charitable Choice concept into the sense of Congress with respect to the in Charitable Choice is welcome news. action in their communities. court-martial conviction of the late Rear Ad- We have always known that Chari- Governor Bush is in the forefront of miral Charles Butler McVay, III, and calling table Choice is truly bipartisan in na- Charitable Choice solutions. Truly, upon the President to award a Presidential ture, and has the support of over 35 or- Unit Citation to the final crew of the U.S.S. where once there was contention and ganizations that span a wide political Indianapolis; to the Committee on Armed debate, there now is swelling bipar- Services. tisan agreement on the promise of and social spectrum. Members from By Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire (for Charitable Choice. both sides of the aisle here in the Sen- himself, Mr. FRIST, Mr. BOND, Ms. Congress has been in the forefront of ate have voted in support of this provi- LANDRIEU, Mr. ROBB, Mr. HAGEL, Mr. encouraging the type of faith-based so- sion. And now, with the Vice Presi- BREAUX, Mr.. TORRICELLI, Mr. HELMS, lutions that the Vice President was dent’s support for Charitable Choice, I Mr. INHOFE, Mr. DURBIN, Mr. ED- promoting yesterday in Atlanta. The am reintroducing legislation that I in- WARDS, Mrs. BOXER, and Mr. INOUYE): troduced in the 105th Congress, the S.J. Res. 26. A joint resolution expressing 1996 welfare reform law contains the the sense of Congress with respect to the Charitable Choice provision I authored, ‘‘Charitable Choice Expansion Act,’’ courtmartial conviction of the late Rear Ad- which encourages states to partner which would expand the Charitable miral Charles Butler McVay, III, and calling with faith-based organizations to serve Choice concept across all federally upon the President to award a Presidential welfare recipients with federal dollars. funded social service programs. Unit Citation to the final crew of the U.S.S. Last fall, we expanded Charitable The substance of the Charitable Indianapolis; read the first time. Choice to cover services provided under Choice Expansion Act is virtually iden- f the Community Services Block Grant tical to that of the original Charitable program, which provides funds to local Choice provision of the welfare reform SUBMISSION OF CONCURRENT AND agencies to alleviate poverty in their law. The only real difference between SENATE RESOLUTIONS communities. And just last week, the the two provisions is that the new bill The following concurrent resolutions Senate approved a juvenile justice bill covers many more federal programs and Senate resolutions were read, and containing Charitable Choice for serv- than the original provision. referred (or acted upon), as indicated: ices provided to at-risk juveniles, such While the original Charitable Choice By Mr. SPECTER: as counseling for troubled youth. provision applies mainly to the new S. Con. Res. 34. A concurrent resolution re- The Charitable Choice provision in welfare reform block grant program, lating to the observance of ‘‘In Memory’’ the 1996 welfare reform law was one the Charitable Choice Expansion Act Day; to the Committee on the Judiciary. way to achieve the goal of inviting the applies to all federal government pro- f greater participation of charitable and grams in which the government is au- faith-based organizations in providing thorized to use nongovernmental orga- STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED services to the poor. The provision al- nizations to provide federally funded BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS lows charitable and faith-based organi- services to beneficiaries. Some of the By Mr. ASHCROFT: zations to compete for contracts and programs that would be covered under S. 1113. A bill to amend title XXIV of voucher programs on an equal basis this legislation include housing, sub- the Revised Statutes, relating to civil with all other non-governmental pro- stance abuse prevention and treat- rights, to prohibit discrimination viders when the state or local govern- ment, seniors services, the Social Serv- against nongovernmental organiza- ment chooses to use private sector pro- ices Block Grant, abstinence education tions and certain individuals on the viders for delivering welfare services to and child welfare services. basis of religion in the distribution of the poor under the Temporary Assist- With this recent expression of bipar- government funds to provide govern- ance for Needy Families (TANF) pro- tisan support for Charitable Choice ment assistance and the distribution of gram. from the Vice President, now is the VerDate Aug 04 2004 14:03 Oct 02, 2004 Jkt 069102 PO 00000 Frm 00068 Fmt 0686 Sfmt 0634 E:\BR99\S25MY9.002 S25MY9 May 25, 1999 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE 10759 time for Congress to move quickly to ‘‘(e) RELIGIOUS CHARACTER AND INDEPEND- ‘‘(i) FISCAL ACCOUNTABILITY.— pass the Charitable Choice Expansion ENCE.— ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in Act, so that we can empower the orga- ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—A religious organization paragraph (2), any religious organization providing assistance under any program de- nizations that are best equipped to in- that provides assistance under a program de- scribed in subsection (c) shall retain its inde- scribed in subsection (c) shall be subject to still hope and transform lives to ex- pendence from Federal, State, and local gov- the same regulations as other nongovern- pand their good work across the na- ernments, including such organization’s con- mental organizations to account in accord tion. trol over the definition, development, prac- with generally accepted accounting prin- Mr. President, I ask unanimous con- tice, and expression of its religious beliefs. ciples for the use of such funds provided sent that the bill be printed in the ‘‘(2) ADDITIONAL SAFEGUARDS.—Neither the under such program. ‘‘(2) LIMITED AUDIT.—Such organization RECORD. Federal Government nor a State or local government shall require a religious organi- shall segregate government funds provided There being no objection, the bill was under such program into a separate account. zation— ordered to be printed in the RECORD, as Only the government funds shall be subject ‘‘(A) to alter its form of internal govern- to audit by the government.