House OKs Bill on Faith-Based Jobs

[earth mom]

Los Angeles Times

House OKs Bill on Faith-Based Jobs

By Justin Dickerson Times Staff Writer

WASHINGTON — The House on Wednesday approved a job-training bill that would allow faith-based organizations receiving federal funds to consider a person's religious beliefs in making employment decisions.

Under current law, religious groups that receive federal money for job-training programs must obey civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in hiring or firing.

Passage of the bill, on a largely party-line vote of 224-200, came a day after President Bush (news - web sites) told a group of religious leaders that he would attempt to institute the faith-based employment policies through an executive order if Congress did not approve them this year.

con't:
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=2026&ncid=2026&e=4&u=/latimests/20050303/ts_latimes/houseoksbillonfaithbasedjobs

[Beetwasher]

1. Great, Just Great

:eyes:

[rodeodance]

3. well, folks the onslaught has begin, --next is clear skies, then bankrupsy

bill, the artic drilling is being attached to the budget bill, etc etc.

[Beetwasher]

12. JEWS NEED NOT APPLY! BLACKS NEED NOT APPLY!

You get the picture...

[earth mom]

13. And forget-about-it if you are an agnostic or atheist.

:mad:

[mojavekid]

30. Or educated.

disgusting.

[Emboldened Chimp]

31. Yep, the Reich-Wing Train to Hell and Misery keeps on rolling...

[matcom]

2. one slam after another

they are just ramming this fucking shit through aren't they. :eyes:

[underpants]

6. only one vote needed in the House

[livetohike]

4. It's starting

He (Bush and Congress) will now completely dismantle the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

No progress here.

[matcom]

5. "hate-based legislation"

:puke:

[Hamlette]

8. how is it that a religious leader who preached peace and love

is the motivating factor behind wars and intolerance?

This is where religion drives me crazy. It can be used to justify any position no matter how vile.

[rkc3]

10. Can you say Osama bin Falwell?

[Tesha]

7. Well, if that happens, a lot of people may be forced to remember...

> He (Bush and Congress) will now completely dismantle the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

Well, if that happens, a lot of people may be forced to remember why
they used to vote "Democratic"; maybe they'll start doing it again?

Tesha

[livetohike]

11. I hope so

So many things are taken for granted today. I guess I am old, but I can remember being asked in a job interview about my "marital status".

I can remember the employment ads being separated by "men" and "women".

This is disgusting.

[HockeyMom]

15. Children

I was asked how many children I have and not that long ago either. Do they ask MEN how many kids they have on an interview?

[Tesha]

17. That question is *ILLEGAL*

Of course, it's no surprise when the casual conversation just happens
to turn to family, etc.

"Yeah, my kid plays Little League; what sports are your kids into?"

Tesha

[HockeyMom]

22. Hell NO

It was on the lines of why did you leave your last job, HOW MANY KIDS do you have? The next ones after that were, "How are you going to come to work when your kids are sick? Do you have somebody who will take care of them?" Yep, ILLEGAL questions (even 10 years ago) and I told them so as I WALKED OUT THE DOOR.

[elehhhhna]

9. Oddly, they are also looking at changing tax law so Churches can endorse

candidates and maintain tax-free status.

The buyoff of Organized religion--with our precious tax dollars. Whoda thunk it?

[NC_Nurse]

14. Damn the torpedoes!

Full speed ahead on the Amtrak to theocracy!

These people have brass balls, that's for sure. Shameless, simply shameless!

[Whoa_Nelly]

16. Democracy? What democracy?

Whatever happened to the Civil Rights Act of 1964? What the hell is going on?? Where's our Constitution? I sure as hell hope someone has the guts to take this latest blatent shredding of our constitution and the Amendment rights to the Supreme Court.

[KyndCulture]

18. Us pagans are fucked.... nt.

[Zenlitened]

19. Us AMERICANS are fucked

The republicans are intent on destroying America as we know it, as it has been known for nearly 230 years.

And all with the support of people waving American flags to cheer them on.

"Irony" doesn't begin to describe it. We are living in the midst of a tragedy.

[Zenlitened]

20. dupe.

dupe.

[Solly Mack]

21. Hey, does anyone remember that country, America?

It used to at least pretend to be a democracy? I think they even had civil rights at one time. Whatever happened to it?

[LynnTheDem]

23. Nazi Germany had the same law.

Then they added a law making it illegal to hire Jews, blacks, gays.

bush sure does like threatenign his executive order. How is that DEMOCRACY, bush?

[AndyTiedye]

24. Only Bible-Thumping Christians Need Apply

> Passage of the bill, on a largely party-line vote of 224-200

Is there any longer any doubt that the Fundies own the Republican party?

Onward Xtian Soldiers

[CornField]

25. Remember when this was billed as "leveling the playing field"?

It wasn't, according to bush*, supposed to provide an upper hand to faith-based groups, but only to level the playing field between all groups focusing on the same good works.

Oh well, what's one more lie on the bush* pile?

[ixion]

26. faith-based employment is unconstitutional

just like everything else this cabal does.

[Ian David]

27. This is absolutely disgusting

So, what do we do now?

[Lindacooks]

36. If it passes, it goes to the courts.

God only knows what will happen then, especially if chimpy has been able to seat a new Supreme Court justice.

This has got to be the most un-American thing I have ever seen. And after four years of bush/facism, that's saying a lot.

[ernstbass]

28. WTF?

[Misunderestimator]

29. And no sooner is that passed than it will extend to all companies

to be allowed to discriminate based on religious beliefs. Brings me back to the seven years I worked for a Catholic organization, and had to be COMPLETELY in the closet. Not a natural state for me. I took a 50% pay cut to leave that job.

[NYC]

34. Bethlehem Steel.

Does one have to be Christian to work for "Bethlehem" Steel?

[GoddessOfGuinness]

32. So then, if DeCay has his way with uniting church and state,

that would clear the way for any employer to discriminate on the basis of religion, wouldn't it?

[Roland99]

33. Let's hope our Senators have more brains and guts than our Reps.

[cosmicdot]

35. passage would repeal the Wagner-Peyser Act of June 6, 1933

http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2005/index.asp

http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2005/roll048.xml

the Wagner-Peyser Act of JUNE 6, 1933
http://www.floridajobs.org/pdg/wagner-peyser/default.htm

It's a full-court press on all fronts ...

House Bill SUMMARY AS OF:
1/4/2005--Introduced.

Job Training Improvement Act of 2005 - Amends the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA) to revise requirements and reauthorize appropriations for: (1) WIA title I, workforce investment systems for job training and employment services; and (2) WIA title II, adult basic skills and family literacy education programs (renamed as the Adult Basic Skills and Family Literacy Education Act).

Directs the Secretary of Labor to implement a national demonstration project on personal reemployment accounts (PRAs), through competitive project grants to States or local boards or consortia to provide PRAs to eligible individuals who are likely to exhaust their unemployment compensation.

Revises and reauthorizes workforce investment systems with respect to: (1) State and local planning, allocation, work force investment board membership, and performance accountability; (2) one-stop centers; (3) consolidated funding for adult program activities, including job training, dislocated worker retraining, the employment service system, and reemployment grants; (4) training programs for both out-of-school and in-school youth, including challenge grants; and (5) national job training programs, including the Job Corps and programs for Native Americans, migrant and seasonal farmworkers, and veterans.

Exempts religious organizations, with respect to their employment of individuals of a particular religion, from WIA nondiscrimination requirements.

Repeals Wagner-Peyser Act provisions relating to the U.S. Employment Service.

Revises requirements and reauthorizes appropriations for: (1) vocational rehabilitation services under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; and (2) the Helen Keller National Center Act.

[napi21]

37. I don't agree with this bill, but, why would you ever want to work at

a religious org. if you disagreed with what they teach?

I know I would NEVER want to work at one of Pat Robertson's or Jerry Fallwell's org. wether they wanted me to or not!

[radfringe]

38. we already have faith-based jobs

we pray everyday that we will have a job

[FlemingsGhost]

39. Get past the denial and fear, folks. A revolution is coming ...

All the signs are there.

[depakid]

40. That's so clearly unconstitutional

that I doubt even Scalia would support it.

My guess is that a lot of Republicans didn't either, but had to go along with it, for fear of retribution by the hardline leadership.

[The_Nick]

41. House passes law allowing religous discrimination by federally funded orgs

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=2026&ncid=2026&e=4&u=/latimests/20050303/ts_latimes/houseoksbillonfaithbasedjobs

From the law, which can be found here:

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/F?c109:3:./temp/~c109zHB8RC:e172306:

H.R.27
Job Training Improvement Act of 2005 (Engrossed as Agreed to or Passed by House)

SEC. 129. NONDISCRIMINATION.

Section 188(a)(2) (29 U.S.C. 2931(a)(2)) is amended to read as follows:

`(2) PROHIBITION OF DISCRIMINATION REGARDING PARTICIPATION, BENEFITS, AND EMPLOYMENT-

`(A) IN GENERAL- Except as provided in subparagraph (B), no individual shall be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, subjected to discrimination under, or denied employment in the administration of or in connection with, any such program or activity because of race, color, religion, sex (except as otherwise permitted under title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972), national origin, age, disability, or political affiliation or belief.

`(B) EXEMPTION FOR RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS- Subparagraph (A) shall not apply to a recipient of financial assistance under this title that is a religious corporation, association, educational institution, or society, with respect to the employment of individuals of a particular religion to perform work connected with the carrying on by such corporation, association, educational institution, or society of its activities. Such recipients shall comply with the other requirements contained in subparagraph (A).'.

Emphasis mine.

[SheepyMcSheepster]

42. a serious question, can someone help answer this?

so, say i run a business that receives no federal funding, could i legally deny a person a job based on their religous beleifs?

if the answer is "no", how is this new law legal?

[Colorado Blue]

43. This is dreadful. nt

[insane_cratic_gal]

44. Where is the ACLU

WTF? this is just one step closer to discrimintion based on your faith?


You wonder why in this country the idea divides are not ideas but reality. Fundies have taken over

Let's hope the Senate has some common sense though I doubt it.

What reps voted against this in the house? Do you we know?