Religion
Related: About this forumHouse passes bill to give disaster relief to religious groups
http://www.religionnews.com/2013/02/13/house-passes-bill-to-give-disaster-relief-to-religious-groups/(RNS) The House Wednesday (Feb. 13) overwhelmingly passed a bill to allow places of worship to receive federal aid to repair their buildings damaged during Hurricane Sandy.
The bill, which garnered strong bipartisan support, is also expected to pass the Senate, and would address what its sponsors consider a discriminatory practice that keeps federal disaster money from religious groups.
Currently the Federal Emergency Management Agency excludes religious organizations but assists privately owned nonprofits. If the bill becomes law, it will make houses of worship eligible for relief on the same terms as other nonprofits.
Todays debate and vote is about those who are being unfairly left out and left behind, Christopher Smith, R-N.J., one of the bills lead sponsors, told his House colleagues.
more at link
peace13
(11,076 posts)unless it is delivering a check!
So they pay no taxes but get to put their hand in the till
Angry Dragon
(36,693 posts)cbayer
(146,218 posts)also pay no taxes, but had a policy which singled religious organizations out.
meeshrox
(671 posts)republicans resisted passing relief for all Sandy victims!
Why do churches need federal aid to repair buildings? Do they not carry insurance? Maybe I'm missing something...
cbayer
(146,218 posts)"helped feed, comfort, clothe and shelter tens of thousands of victims" after the storm and were then "being told they are ineligible for a FEMA grant., while all other non-profits were eligible.
meeshrox
(671 posts)"essential government type services to the general public" and therefore do not qualify.
http://www.fema.gov/public-assistance-9500-series-policy-publications/private-nonprofit-facility-eligibility-0
Section 7.4.3 specifically addresses structures primarily used for religous services. If the primary use is religious worship and aid to the community is second, it should not qualify.
This is pretty cut-and-dry to me. In my opinion, they are trying to carve out special treatment yet again.
cbayer
(146,218 posts)meeshrox
(671 posts)cbayer
(146,218 posts)meeshrox
(671 posts)and it remains to be seen whether or not the Senate disagrees.
Happy Valentines Day!
cbayer
(146,218 posts)TheMastersNemesis
(10,602 posts)cleanhippie
(19,705 posts)If there is a god, and thy god destroys a church, maybe god is trying to tell us something.
SpartanDem
(4,533 posts)cbayer
(146,218 posts)peace13
(11,076 posts)They were all for it until a Muslim group applied for funds and then it was a great surprise. Where does the separation of church and state begin and end. These days most folks think there is none as long as it is of Christian nature.
cbayer
(146,218 posts)This is at the federal level. They are fully aware that this will include many religions.
SpartanDem
(4,533 posts)from the AFA and FRC types
cbayer
(146,218 posts)to be narrowly applied to only certain religious groups. That would be an undeniably clear violation of the 1st amendment.
peace13
(11,076 posts)It seems to be a rather national problem.
cbayer
(146,218 posts)By changing this FEMA rule, I feel certain that they understand that it applies broadly to all religious institutions as they are described in the FEMA rule. They know better than to make any assumptions about it apply to some religions and not others (unlike state and local legislatures, apparently).