An update from the Roundtable on Religion and Social Welfare Policy, an independent research
project of the Rockefeller Institute of Government. The public policy research arm of the State
University of New York.

New! Congress Keeps Funds Flowing, but Faces Fight on Social Programs

Congress took action last week on government spending items closely watched by religious groups
as program expiration dates loomed.

On Thursday, Sept. 27, the Senate passed a continuing resolution to keep the government operating
through Nov. 16 at fiscal 2007 levels while Congress tries to reach an agreement with President
George W. Bush over final spending bills for fiscal year 2008. The stopgap measure keeps money
flowing to a variety of federal programs that would have expired Sept. 30, including food stamps and the
State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). The House and Senate also voted for a $35 billion
expansion in SCHIP for fiscal year 2008 to cover almost 4 million more uninsured children, in addition to
the 6.6 million currently enrolled.

In addition, President Bush on Sept. 29 signed legislation to provide a three-month extension for the first
quarter of fiscal year 2008 for a number of expiring health programs for low-income people. The bill
extended transitional medical assistance (TMA), Title V sexual abstinence education programs, and the
qualifying individuals (QI) program. The funding for abstinence education programs has been controversial
and threatened to prevent the bill from passage.

Click here to read more by Roundtable Washington Correspondent Anne Farris.

New! Reaching Diverse Groups A Challenge for Charities, Lawmakers Learn

Most charitable donations in America go to churches and religious congregations, but there is no
assurance that the funds trickle down to the poorest communities or diverse groups. Those findings
emerged among the testimony presented Sept. 25 before the Subcommittee on Oversight of the
House Committee on Ways and Means, which held a hearing to examine whether charitable
organizations serve diverse communities. Included in the discussion was the role of faith-based
charities and service providers in serving the needy and supplementing government services.

The event was the latest in a series of hearings about the impact of tax deductions to charitable
organizations to stimulate giving and address the needs of the poor through private, nonprofit
organizations rather than direct government funding.

Click here to read more by Roundtable Washington Correspondent Anne Farris.

New! Supreme Court Won't Hear Catholic Charities' Pleas Over Birth
Control Law

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday (Oct.1) declined to hear an appeal to exempt certain religious
charities from the Women's Health and Wellness Act, a New York law that requires employers to
cover workers' birth control costs if they offer health insurance for other prescriptions, even if the
organizations consider contraception sinful. Similar laws are in effect in California—upheld by that
state's highest court in 2004—and nearly two dozen other states.

Along with their direct effects, these laws and lawsuits in New York and California hold important
implications for faith-based and community initiatives, according to the Roundtable's legal research
directors, professors Ira C. Lupu and Robert W. Tuttle of George Washington University Law School.
The New York and California laws have exceptions for "religious employers,” defined by whether they
primarily hire and serve people of their own faiths, have religious indoctrination as their purpose, and
receive most of their funding from internal sources. Government contract and grant programs have
contrary rules against proselytizing and discriminating among service recipients on the basis of religion.
The conundrum for faith-based and community initiatives may be that the more religiously-affiliated
groups participate in government programs, the more they are subject to government regulation that
challenges their religious identities.

Click here for a Roundtable news story on New York's law, when decided by the New York Court
of Appeals.

Click here for a Roundtable analysis and fuller discussion of the legal issues in the California case.

Save the Date! The Roundtable's Conference and Legal Update, Dec. 5

It's been a year of considerable legal activity on issues affecting faith-based and community initiatives,
highlighted by the Supreme Court's June decision in Hein v. Freedom From Religion Foundation.
That decision held that taxpayers may not mount legal challenges against the federal government over
funding to religious organizations unless Congress has specifically authorized the programs that provide
the money, and the ruling has numerous and complex implications for government partnerships with
religious groups. In addition, the courts this year have been the stage for arguments over government
chaplaincies, legislative earmarks to religious groups, and the use of tax money to renovate religious
structures, along with a variety of other issues.

Keeping up with this constantly shifting legal environment for faith-based social services can be daunting.
At the Roundtable's annual conference, our highly respected legal experts – Law Professors Ira C. Lupu
and Robert W. Tuttle of George Washington University – will give a thorough update on the year's most
significant legal events affecting government partnerships with religious charities. As close observers of
the federal Faith-Based and Community Initiative for the past six years, Lupu and Tuttle are able to
provide context for the latest developments and offer insights into what to watch for next.

Don't miss their legal update, at the Roundtable's annual conference, Wednesday, December 5, in
Washington D.C. The complete program will run from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the National Press Club
at 529 14th St. NW.

Watch for more information in future newsletters.

Weekly Digest of Federal Grants with Faith-Based and Community
Organization Eligibility

The grant opportunities this week for community and faith-based organizations are through programs
administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the United States Department
of Justice.

Potential applicants should be aware that some grant programs require specific technical expertise.

Click here for the grant digest, compiled by Roundtable Research Scientist Lisa Montiel.

Roundtable Digest of Current Faith-Based News Stories

A fresh start: Inmates transition back, with help from Boca Raton church
South Florida Sun-Sentinel

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=7160

Supreme Court Turns Down Cases on Religious Separation
New York Times (New York)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=7161

Addiction Medicine;
Alaska Southcentral Foundation Awarded $5 Million In Access To Recovery Grants
Health & Medicine Week

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=7162

Addiction Medicine;
Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma Awarded $10.2 Million in Access to Recovery Grants
Health & Medicine Week

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=7157

Addiction Medicine;
Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan Awarded $11.7 Million in Access to Recovery Grants
Health & Medicine Week

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=7158

Addiction Medicine;
Montana-Wyoming Tribal Leaders Council Awarded $5.7 Million in Access to Recovery Grants
Health & Medicine Week

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=7159

High Court Won't Hear Birth Control Case
The Associated Press (Washington)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=7171

Exhibit features art from inmates at Hutchinson prison
The Associated Press State & Local Wire

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=7163

Eviction nightmare ends well for family
Sunday Telegram (Massachusetts)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=7164

Women's Health; Women of Philadelphia Win by a 'Touchdown'
Pharma Investments, Ventures & Law Weekly

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=7165

More churches offering health care
The Associated Press State & Local Wire

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=7166

Church offers safe haven
Daily Oklahoman

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=7167

Faith Based Preparedness Churches ready in time of crisis
KHQA 7 Online

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=7168

Blunt wants more cooperation between government, religious groups
The Associated Press State & Local Wire

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=7169

Mitchell proposes antiviolence alternative to CeaseFire
Herald & Review (Illonois)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=7170

Indiana, Faced With Suit, Takes Chaplain Off Payroll
The New York Times (New York)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=7172

Mayor John F. Street Kicks-Off 'Preparedness,
Spread Word' As Part Of National Preparedness Month
States News Service

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=7175

Churches needed to help homeless
Middletown Journal (Ohio)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=7149

Advocacy group gets $20K grant: New coalition fights homelessness
Worcester Telegram & Gazette (Massachusetts)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=7150

State seeking to build new facility near prison site:
'Re-entry center' would house local inmates from other areas
Chillicothe Gazette (Ohio)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=7151

Clergy Trained in Reaching Out to Reserve Soldiers
Religion News Service

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=7152

Leaders believe keeping kids busy keeps them off streets
ABC7 Chicago (Illinois)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=7153

Weld Faith Partnership kicks off today with no religion
Greeley Tribune (Colorado)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=7154

Northwest day labor center proposed: Interfaith coalition calls a meeting to discuss its plans to aid workers
The Houston Chronicle (Texas)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=7155

Weekly Opinion Roundup - 10/2/2007
The Roundtable on Religion and Social Welfare Policy

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/news_opinion_10_2_07.cfm