Secular Coalition for America thanks House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn for opposition to religious discrimination by federal contractors
The Secular Coalition for America thanks House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn (D-SC) for stating that religious discrimination has no place in federal contracting and that organizations should never be allowed "to use religion to camouflage any kind of discrimination." The letter sent to Rep. Clyburn by the Secular Coalition for America is below. Also see:
- Secular Coalition for America position paper: Faith-based initiatives (also known as "charitable choice")
- Roundtable on Religion & Social Welfare Policy (offsite): An Interview with James Clyburn of the House Democrats' Faith Working Group
May 5, 2008
The Honorable James E. Clyburn
House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Mr. Clyburn:
Thank you for your remarks opposing religious discrimination in federal contracting. As you stated in your interview with The Roundtable on Religion and Social Welfare Policy, organizations should never be allowed "to use religion to camouflage any kind of discrimination." The Secular Coalition for America could not agree more.
Using federal funds to selectively employ members of one religious sect violates our Civil Rights Acts and the equal protection guarantee of our Constitution. The president's Faith-Based Initiative programs and legislation with "charitable choice" provisions allow religious organizations receiving federal funds to discriminate in their hiring practices. Thus, social service workers who do not share the organization's religious beliefs may be, and have been, denied a job for no other reason than their beliefs.
The Secular Coalition for America calls on Congress and the next president to remove all charitable choice language from current law, overturn all faith-based initiative executive orders and end the culture of preference for faith-based organizations as conduits for federal social service funding.
We appreciate your leadership on this issue and look forward to your efforts to reverse these policies. The Secular Coalition for America is eager to assist you in these endeavors.
Sincerely,
Lori Lipman Brown
Director, Secular Coalition for America