Beginning in 1996, Congress enacted several pieces of legislation that included provisions that have become known as charitable choice rules. Included in legislation for various federally funded social service programs, charitable choice rules were aimed at ensuring that faith-based organizations could participate in federally funded social service programs like other nongovernmental providers. The rules allow religious organizations to receive public funding to offer social services without abandoning their religious character or infringing on the religious freedom of program beneficiaries. No new legislation has been enacted since 2000, but Congress continues to consider the issues associated with charitable choice as the related programs are reauthorized. Much of the controversy that has surrounded these programs has centered on the constitutionality of the federal government funding faith-based social service programs and so-called religious hiring rights, the term often used to refer to religious organizations' selectivity in employment decisions. Supporters of faith-based funding argue that religious organizations have a constitutional right to retain their preferences for co-religionists in hiring as a matter of religious identity and exercise. Opponents argue that allowing organizations that receive public funding to discriminate based on religion violates principles of neutrality guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. This report will briefly discuss the history of charitable choice provisions and the implementation of the Faith-Based Initiative which extended similar rules to certain executive agencies. It will also analyze the constitutional issues associated with funding faith-based organizations, services, and programs, including the distinction of financial assistance provided directly and indirectly to religious organizations. The report will also detail the legal protections for religious organizations that receive funds under these programs and for the beneficiaries of the services they provide, with particular focus on civil rights and discrimination prohibitions in current law. Finally, the report will analyze who is able to raise judicial challenges to publicly funded faith-based programs and how such lawsuits have been resolved. Many recent charitable choice lawsuits have challenged executive branch programs that provide funding to religious organizations under the Faith-Based Initiative.
Beginning in 1996, Congress enacted several pieces of legislation that included provisions that have become known as charitable choice rules. Included in legislation for various federally funded social service programs, charitable choice rules were aimed at ensuring that faith-based organizations could participate in federally funded social service programs like other nongovernmental providers. The rules allow religious organizations to receive public funding to offer social services without abandoning their religious character or infringing on the religious freedom of program beneficiaries. No new legislation has been enacted since 2000, but Congress continues to consider the issues associated with charitable choice as the related programs are reauthorized.
Much of the controversy that has surrounded these programs has centered on the constitutionality of the federal government funding faith-based social service programs and so-called religious hiring rights, the term often used to refer to religious organizations' selectivity in employment decisions. Supporters of faith-based funding argue that religious organizations have a constitutional right to retain their preferences for co-religionists in hiring as a matter of religious identity and exercise. Opponents argue that allowing organizations that receive public funding to discriminate based on religion violates principles of neutrality guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.
Challenges to programs with funding to religious organizations under charitable choice have had varying results. Supreme Court jurisprudence has shifted over the last decade, which has in some cases lowered the constitutional barriers for aid to religious organizations. However, some cases have indicated that the Court may not favor aid in particular cases of providing funding to religious organizations.
This report will briefly discuss the history of charitable choice provisions and the implementation of the Faith-Based Initiative which extended similar rules to certain executive agencies. It will also analyze the constitutional issues associated with funding faith-based organizations, services, and programs, including the distinction of financial assistance provided directly and indirectly to religious organizations. The report will also detail the legal protections for religious organizations that receive funds under these programs and for the beneficiaries of the services they provide, with particular focus on civil rights and discrimination prohibitions in current law. Finally, the report will analyze who is able to raise judicial challenges to publicly funded faith-based programs and how such lawsuits have been resolved.