Americans Untied Claims FEMA Plan to Rebuild Religious Institutions is Unconstitutional

October 19, 2005

Source: Americans United for Separation of Church and State

http://www.au.org/site/News2?JServSessionIdr012=xjyfuyl3z1.app1b&abbr=pr&page=NewsArticle&id=7605&security=1002&news_iv_ctrl=1241

On October 19, 2005 Americans United for Separation of Church and State reported, "A plan by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to spend taxpayer dollars to rebuild religious schools and other religious facilities violates constitutional provisions barring public support of religion, says Americans United for Separation of Church and State. James Towey, director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, told reporters yesterday that using public funds to rebuild religious facilities is permissible as long as no money goes directly to subsidize buildings used primarily for religious purposes. But Towey included religious schools what he called 'faith-based educational facilities' in the list of eligible institutions... Lynn said the Supreme Court has never approved public funding for facilities used primarily for religious purposes. Religious schools, he noted, would certainly fit this standard. Many of them sponsor religious worship and weave religion into the curriculum throughout the school day."