1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Lifting Local Communities Act . 2. Purposes The purposes of this Act are the following: (1) To enable assistance to be provided to individuals and families in need in the most effective manner. (2) To prohibit discrimination against religious organizations in receipt and administration of Federal financial assistance, including the provision of that assistance through federally funded social service programs. (3) To ensure that religious organizations can apply and compete for Federal financial assistance on a level playing field with nonreligious organizations. (4) To provide certainty for religious organizations that receipt of Federal financial assistance will not obstruct or hinder their ability to organize and operate in accordance with their sincerely held religious beliefs. (5) To strengthen the social service capacity of the United States by facilitating the entry of new, and the expansion of existing, efforts by religious organizations in the administration and provision of Federal financial assistance. (6) To protect the religious freedom of, and better serve, individuals and families in need, including by expanding their ability to choose to receive federally funded social services from religious organizations. 3. Provision of services for government programs by religious organizations Title XXIV of the Revised Statutes is amended by inserting after section 1990 ( 42 U.S.C. 1994 ) the following: 1990A. Ensuring equal treatment for religious organizations in Federal provision of social services, grantmaking, and contracting (a) In general For any social services program carried out by the Federal Government, or by a State, local government, or pass-through entity with Federal funds, the entity that awards Federal financial assistance shall consider religious organizations, on the same basis as any other private organization, to provide services for the program. (b) Equal treatment for religious organizations in Federal financial assistance (1) In general A