Job Training Improvement Act of 2005
JOB TRAINING IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2005 -- (Extensions of Remarks - March 03, 2005)
SPEECH OF
HON. ROBERT C. SCOTT
OF VIRGINIA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Wednesday, March 2, 2005
The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, had under consideration the bill (H.R. 27) to enhance the workforce investment system of the Nation by strengthening one-stop career centers, providing for more effective governance arrangements, promoting access to a more comprehensive array of employment, training, and related services, establishing a targeted approach to serving youth, and improving performance accountability, and for other purposes:
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Chairman, I submit the following information regarding H.R. 27 for the RECORD.
March 2, 2005.
THE REAL DEMOCRATIC RECORD ON CHARITABLE CHOICE,
DEAR COLLEAGUE: I wanted to be sure you had a copy of the Real Democratic Record on Charitable Choice. I hope this is helpful as we debate H.R. 27, containing a vast expansion of Charitable Choice to federally-funded job training programs for the first time since 1965.
THE 2004 DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM
"We honor the central place of faith in the lives of our people. Like our Founders, we believe that our nation, our communities, and our lives are made vastly stronger and richer by faith and the countless acts of justice and mercy it inspires. We will strengthen the role of faith-based organizations in meeting challenges like homelessness, youth violence, and other social problems. At the same time, we will honor First Amendment protections and not allow public funds to be used to proselytize or discriminate. Throughout history, communities of faith have brought comfort to the afflicted and shaped great movements for justice. We know they will continue to do so, and we will always protect all Americans' freedom to worship."
THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION RECORD ON CHARITABLE CHOICE
1996--The Clinton Administration submitted amendments as part of its technical corrections package to Congress regarding concerns over the constitutionality of Charitable Choice provisions contained in welfare reform. They filed the following comments with the amendment: "[P]rovisions of sec. 104 and its legislative history could be read to be inconsistent with the constitutional limits. ..... We recommend amending sec. 104 to clarify that it does not compel or allow States to provide TANF benefits through pervasively sectarian organizations, either directly or through vouchers redeemable with these organizations." Congress did not act on those amendments.
1998--The Clinton Administration issued a signing statement placing limitations on the Charitable Choice provisions contained in the Community Services Block Grant: "The Department of Justice advises, however, that the provision that allows religiously affiliated organizations to be providers under CSBG would be unconstitutional if and to the extent it were construed to permit governmental funding of "pervasively sectarian" organizations, as that term has been defined by the courts. Accordingly, I construe the Act as forbidding the funding of pervasively sectarian organizations and as permitting Federal, State, and local governments involved in disbursing CSBG funds to take into account the structure and operations of a religious organization in determining whether such an organization is pervasively sectarian."
2000--The Clinton Administration issued a signing statement placing limitations on the Charitable Choice provisions contained in the reauthorization of the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Act (SAMHSA): "The Department of Justice advises, however, that this provision would be unconstitutional to the extent that it were construed to permit governmental funding of organizations that do not or cannot separate their religious activities from their substance abuse treatment and prevention activities that are supported by SAMHSA aid. Accordingly, I construe the Act as forbidding the funding of such organizations and as permitting Federal, State, and local governments involved in disbursing SAMHSA funds to take into account the structure and operations of a religious organization in determining whether such an organization is constitutionally and statutorily eligible to receive funding."
Very truly yours,
Robert C. "Bobby" Scott,
Member of Congress.
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