Roundup of News Stories on the White House faith-based office’s conference on "Innovations in Effective Compassion"

Originally billed as a research conference, this event served as more of a showcase for the achievements of the Bush Administration’s Faith-Based and Community Initiative – something the President said will become part of his legacy. Assembled here are news articles on the event.

06/30/2008

The Washington Post
Dan Eggen
06/30/2008

"Compassionate conservatism" is back.

President Bush focused attention on that signature phrase last week at a national conference for federal faith-based programs -- among his first, and still most controversial, policy initiatives.

As he noted in his speech on Thursday, Bush began talking as long ago as 1999 about loosening restrictions on the participation of religiously affiliated groups in government programs. That led to his executive order creating the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives at the White House, and a proliferation of similar offices throughout the government.

Bush said the moves were meant to "ensure that the armies of compassion play a central role in our campaign to make America more promising and more just."

But controversies have erupted regularly, usually focused on allegations of improper favoritism for the religious right or improper proselytizing. Last week, the Justice Department fired an official under investigation for her role in doling out faith-based grants after she did not show up for a House hearing.

But the president focused on the positive, casting the faith-based effort as part of a broader agenda to help those in need, including well-regarded initiatives to battle AIDS and malaria in the developing world.

"To me, it does not matter if there's a crescent on your group's wall, a rabbi on your group's board or 'Christ' in your group's name," Bush said. "If your organization puts medicine in people's hands, food in people's mouths or a roof over people's heads, then you're succeeding."

McClellan for Obama?

Scott McClellan's former colleagues at the White House have already labeled him disgruntled and out of touch, but this could be the final straw: The former press secretary says he might just vote for Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.).

Speaking after an address at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco last week, McClellan said he hasn't ruled out voting Democratic this year -- or even registering as a member of the anti-GOP. "I haven't made any long- term decisions," McClellan said, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

McClellan said his presidential choice will depend in part on whether Obama or his opponent, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), runs a positive, issues-oriented campaign. One of the themes of McClellan's best-selling book, "What Happened," is that Washington has become paralyzed by negative, winner-take-all politics.

The former spokesman, who spent a good deal of his time at the White House defending the early years of the Iraq war, also said the conflict "has gone on for longer than it should have gone on -- and it needs to be brought to an end."

Changing parties would not be an entirely new concept for McClellan. His mother, Texas politico Carole Keeton Strayhorn, was a Democrat until the 1980s, when she switched to the GOP. Strayhorn later ran as an independent against Republican Gov. Rick Perry.

Thanks, but No Thanks

Needless to say, Bush-bashing goes over pretty well in San Francisco, where some local wags think so highly of the president that they want to put his name on a monument: the local sewage-treatment plant.

A group dubbing itself the Presidential Memorial Commission of San Francisco has gathered thousands of voter signatures to put a referendum on the November ballot that would rename the Oceanside Water Pollution Control Plant as the George W. Bush Sewage Plant.

Organizers say the renaming would be "a fitting monument to this president's work." They are also planning a citywide "synchronized flush" to bid Bush farewell on Inauguration Day in January.

The city's Republican Party chairman dismisses the effort as the work of "typical San Francisco crazies." White House spokeswoman Dana Perino told reporters, "I just don't think it dignifies a response."

Everybody in the Pool -- or Not

Warning: Media navel-gazing ahead.

A brouhaha erupted last week among the ranks of the White House Correspondents Association, the official club of reporters who cover the aforementioned building. The trouble centers on a move by the WHCA board to limit distribution of some pool reports, which are dispatches describing photo opportunities, Air Force One flights, and other doings not open to the entire press corps.

A dwindling number of newspapers and media companies are paying to send reporters with the president when he travels at home or abroad, leaving it to a few big papers (full disclosure: You are reading one) to pick up the tab. As a result, the WHCA decided to limit some reports to those traveling with the president.

The move set off a fevered debate via e-mails that -- reporters being reporters -- were quickly leaked to Mediabistro.com's FishbowlDC.

"The idea that pool reporting on the road with the president will be available only to those who travel and pay for it should be repugnant to our profession," wrote Mark Silva of the Chicago Tribune. "I call it pay to play."

But Sheryl Gay Stolberg of the New York Times called the out-of-town pool system "broken" and wrote in an e-mail: "A system that called for pool duty -- let's not forget the word duty -- was set up so that we could share the responsibility for coverage, as well as the information gathered. Today only the information is shared."

So far the association is holding firm, but current WHCA President Ann Compton of ABC News has urged members to weigh in.

Hold the Maple Syrup

The only state that hasn't gotten a visit from Bush received a second one from his wife last week. Laura Bush announced a trails grant and went hiking with friends at Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park in Vermont, according to press reports.

No word on whether Bush will make it to the Green Mountain State, which is about as politically blue as you can get. But there's still plenty of time: Bill Clinton waited until the month before he left office to make his first presidential visit to Nebraska.

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06/28/2008

The Associated Press
The Associated Press
06/28/2008

President Bush said Saturday that religious charities, partly financed with federal money, have helped reduce homelessness, found jobs for former inmates and helped combat malaria and HIV/AIDS overseas.

Bush used his weekly radio address to trumpet the "remarkable difference these groups have made over the past eight years."

The president said he wants to level the playing field so religious charities and secular charities compete for government money on an equal footing. His White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives survived a legal challenge from a group of atheists and agnostics last year when the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that ordinary taxpayers cannot sue to stop conferences that help religious charities apply for federal grants.

The faith-based program is particularly popular with Christian conservatives, whose support is seen as crucial for the campaign of Republican presidential candidate John McCain, an ally of Bush's. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama also is reaching out to evangelicals.

Praising the work of faith-based groups, Bush said: "Through their partnerships with the government, these organizations have helped reduce the number of chronically homeless by nearly 12 percent getting more than 20,000 Americans off the streets. They have helped match nearly 90,000 children of prisoners with adult mentors. And they have helped provide services such as job placement for thousands of former inmates.

"Faith-based and community groups have also had a powerful impact overseas. In Africa, they have participated in our Malaria Initiative. In just over two years, this effort has reached more than 25 million people and according to new data, malaria rates are dropping dramatically in many parts of that continent."

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Christian Newswire
White House
06/28/2008

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning.

This week, the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives held a conference to highlight the work being done by our Nation's armies of compassion, with help from the Federal government. This conference demonstrated the remarkable difference these groups have made over the past eight years.

When I first came to office, I was troubled to see many of our citizens' greatest needs going unmet. Too many addicts walked the rough road to recovery alone. Too many prisoners had the desire for reform but no one to show them the way. Across our country, the hungry, homeless, and sick begged for deliverance -- and too many heard only silence in reply.

The tragedy was that there were good men and women across America who had the desire to help but not the resources. Because many of them worked with small charities, they were overlooked by Washington as potential partners in service. And because many of them belonged to faith-based organizations, they were often barred from receiving support from the Federal government.

So I set about to change this with a new approach called "compassionate conservatism." This approach was compassionate, because it was rooted in a timeless truth: that we ought to love our neighbors as we'd like to be loved ourselves. And this approach was conservative, because it recognized the limits of government: that bureaucracies can put money in people's hands, but they cannot put hope in people's hearts.

Putting hope in people's hearts is the mission of our Nation's faith-based and community groups, so my Administration decided to treat them as trusted partners. We held these groups to high standards and insisted on demonstrable results. And they have delivered on those expectations.

Through their partnerships with the government, these organizations have helped reduce the number of chronically homeless by nearly 12 percent -- getting more than 20,000 Americans off the streets. They have helped match nearly 90,000 children of prisoners with adult mentors. And they have helped provide services such as job placement for thousands of former inmates.

Faith-based and community groups have also had a powerful impact overseas. In Africa, they have participated in our Malaria Initiative. In just over two years, this effort has reached more than 25 million people -- and according to new data, malaria rates are dropping dramatically in many parts of that continent.

These groups have also been a vital part of the Emergency Plan for AIDS relief. When we launched this program in 2003, about 50,000 people in Sub-Saharan Africa were receiving anti-retroviral treatment for HIV/AIDS. Today, that number is nearly 1.7 million.

Behind each of these statistics, there are stories of people whose lives have been changed by the kindness of faith-based and community organizations. One such person is Ramie Siler. Ramie was once lost to substance abuse, recidivism, and depression. Even when she tried to get clean for her daughter's high school graduation, Ramie couldn't break free from her addiction. Then she found a faith-based group called The Next Door. At The Next Door, Ramie met people who stood by her throughout her difficult recovery. They gave her a second chance to become a productive citizen and good mother. Today, Ramie is reunited with her daughter. She now helps other women as the Next Door case manager. When Ramie describes her turnaround, she uses the words of Saint Paul: "Old things have passed away; behold, all things are becoming new."

I'm grateful to every American who works to create this spirit of hope. Because of you, our Nation has made great strides toward fulfilling the noble goals that gave rise to the Faith-Based and Community Initiative. Because of you, I'm confident that the progress we have made over the past eight years will continue. Because of you, countless souls have been touched and lives have been healed.

Thank you for listening.

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06/27/2008

National Public Radio (NPR)
Michel Martin
06/27/2008

MICHEL MARTIN, host:

I'm Michel Martin, and this is Tell Me More from NPR News. Just ahead, a prominent evangelical leader challenges Senator Barack Obama's biblical knowledge, we'll talk about it, and your comments and e-mails. But first, the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives is now holding its Innovation and Effective Compassion National Conference. It's an event that explores ways that religious communities can address pressing social problems. One of the top issues on the conference agenda is HIV/AIDS. Ambassador Mark Dybul has been a major force in building relationships between the Bush administration and the AIDS advocacy community since he became the U.S. Global Aids coordinator in 2006. And he joins us now to talk about faith based approaches to the issue. Welcome, thank you so much for speaking with us.

Mr. MARK DYBUL (U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator Ambassador): Great to be with you.

MARTIN: What's the mission of your office?

Mr. DYBUL: Well, no less than to turn the tide against HIV/AIDS globally, and the American people have gotten on their way to do that with a strong bipartisan support and the president's leadership. So we have the largest international initiative in history of 18 billion dollars over five years and doing nothing short of expanding, globally, prevention care and treatment services.

MARTIN: Some people continue to be surprised by the scope of this administration's commitment to HIV/AIDS. What do you think it counts for? Is it a matter of faith? Is it a matter of the president's personal interest? What do you think accounts for that commitment?

Mr. DYBUL: All of the above. I believe it began with the president's personal commitment and Mrs. Bush's personal commitment. It comes from his heart. He always says to whom much is given, much is required when he talks about this initiative. It comes from a faith and belief in the American people and the compassion and generosity of the American people. As long as their money gets something, as long as their hard earned tax dollars get something and save lives, very compassionate and generous. And also an understanding that HIV/AIDS, because it kills mostly 15 to 50 years old, is wiping out a generation of parents, teachers, peacekeepers, and the people who will secure the future. So it' a combination of all of those things depending on who you're talking to, but it comes deeply from the commitment to care for our brothers and sisters and serve.

MARTIN: You've been working obviously in various countries and along with the leadership of various countries according to the programs that they have already in place, and some of those are faith based and some of those are not. Do you see a profound difference in the way faith based groups and secular groups approach this issue?

Mr. DYBUL: Well, I think faith-based groups tend to be in communities where there aren't other organizations. You could go to many places and not find a government structure or a traditional NGO, but you'll find a faith community, and that's particularly true in Africa where we do so much work. So they tend to be where people are. They tend to meet people where they are. Several of the programs also have pretty holistic approaches, so it involves orphan care, food, education, it's just a full spectrum of services. Whereas public health institutions don't tend to have that full spectrum of services, and we found at least in Africa where 30 to 70 percent of healthcare is provided by faith based institutions that they tend to be among the strongest and best equipped but...

MARTIN: Can I just stop you for a second? What you're saying is, if - for whatever reason the faith-based groups are just more holistic in their treating like the whole person or family as opposed to the disease? Is that what you're saying?

Mr. DYBUL: Yes. For example in public health institutions, I can use HIV treatment as an example, you'll get the basic medical care, but it's not attached to social services, it's not attached to orphan care and education and food for the family. Whereas in many of the faith based sites, all those pieces get wrapped around the health structure itself, so it really is a communal approach and a whole aspect of the family and person approach.

MARTIN: But you know, another thing that has been true in this country is that many people who've become infected with HIV/AIDS have not felt welcome in their communities because of the stigma of the disease, and some say that religious institutions and the way they approach people with the disease are part of that, of maintaining that stigma in some ways. How do you think - first of all, do you think that you've seen any progress on that point, and how do you think religious organizations or faith based groups can be more helpful in this area?

Mr. DYBUL: I think there has been a lot of progress. I think here there isn't much division between secular and faith based, because, as many of us who were involved in this 20 years ago in the United States remember, we were suing doctors, and nurses, and others to touch HIV positive patients. So it takes a while to get over the stigma of a new disease no matter where you're coming from, but there has been, among some groups in Africa, and I'm talking specifically about Africa because that's where we do most of our work, there have been some groups who years ago in both secular and faith communities that had high levels of stigma.

Much of that has been overcome and actually there have been tremendous strides in some organizations. There's the church in Zimbabwe that used to teach polygamy and now it teaches monogamy because of HIV/AIDS. There's been a real shift. We have some real leaders out there in the faith community working with their pastors, priests, and imams to make sure that people understand that HIV/AIDS is a medical disease and needs to be treated as such.

MARTIN: Is there something that you've seen in international faith based efforts to fight HIV/AIDS that you'd like to see more of here in the U.S.? I think we often think as the U.S. as kind of the standard bearer for medical care that we then export elsewhere, but is there something you've seen overseas that we think we could use more of here?

Mr. DYBUL: Well, I think there are a couple things. One is the family centered approach and whole person approach. We're actually seeing much better adherence rates to HIV therapy in Africa for example, at least for now, than we saw in the United States because when someone leaves the health center, there's a social net for them in their community, buddy assistants and other things to help people take their medication. So, on adherence, we're actually doing a little bit better there than here.

MARTIN: You sound really kind of upbeat and excited, as you always do whenever I hear you speak, but there are some people who would say gee, you know, we're two decades into this epidemic. And some people thought that we'd be farther along in curbing the rate of new infections, in coming up with a vaccine, in coming up with a cure even. When you think of where we are relative to where we've been, do you - I don't know. Do you feel optimistic, pessimistic?

Mr. DYBUL: Absolutely. Very optimistic, especially if you look at the last five years, and, you know, I come from the science background, so I know that a cure for this disease is going to be very difficult. We've never truly cured a viral disease. We've had vaccines for them, but this is a very unique type of virus for a vaccination. And so it's going to be much more difficult and complicated so maybe I'm upbeat because I know enough about the virus, but you have to be tempered in it. But if you look at the gains over the last five years, five years ago people said you couldn't do treatment in resource-poor settings. Now millions of people are receiving treatment, and what I see, and the reason I'm optimistic is I get that hope from people as I see them in Africa. People whose lives have come back, their personal lives, their community, people feel that they can take control of their communities and their lives. It's one of the most remarkable things the American people are doing, creating hope. So we should be optimistic because we're the ones creating the hope out there and it's a really exciting thing to see.

MARTIN: Is there anything that's still making you crazy? You say well, I'm an ambassador, I should be able to fix this.

Mr. DYBUL: Not fast enough. There's nothing we're doing we can't improve. I'll worry when we think there are things we can't improve. We constantly need to push. Lives are at stake, human beings are out there suffering, and so we need to push at every step, but if you look at the progress it's breathtaking. It's nothing short of breathtaking. And that's why we all have to be hopeful, but use that hope, to commit ourselves again to recommit ourselves to doing even more.

MARTIN: Ambassador Mark Dybul is the U.S. Global AIDS coordinator. He's participating in this week's White House Faith Based and Community Initiatives Conference being held in Washington, D.C. He joined us from his office in Washington. Ambassador, thank you so much for speaking with us.

Mr. DYBUL: Thanks very much.

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Catholic News Service
Chaz Muth
06/27/2008

President George W. Bush told a room full of leaders of religious social organizations June 26 that his faith-based and community initiative has been one of the most significant programs to come out of his administration and urged them to continue saving the lives of those in need in the U.S. and abroad.

"Groups like yours have harnessed a power that no government bureaucracy can match," Bush said during his address at the White House National Faith-Based and Community Initiatives Conference, held June 26-27.

"So when I came to Washington, my goal was to ensure that government made you a full partner in our efforts to serve those in need. And the results have been uplifting," he said.

The president established the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives by executive order in December 2002. In essence, the program is designed to give organizations run by religious groups equal footing with secular groups in eligibility for federal funding for programs they operate to help the poor and needy.

The move met with skepticism among established Washington political leaders, many of whom were concerned the initiatives would cross the line between church and state.

However, the U.S. Supreme Court has rejected claims that federal involvement with faith-based groups is unconstitutional and political leaders in both the Democratic and Republican parties have embraced the partnership between the government and religious groups in such causes as addiction recovery, prisoner re-entry into society, health services, HIV/AIDS, homelessness and at-risk youths.

"We have helped level the playing field for faith-based groups and other charities -- especially small organizations that have struggled to compete for funds in the past," Bush said. "We've educated religious groups about their civil rights. We've made the federal grant application process more accessible and transparent.

"We've trained thousands of federal employees to ensure that government does not discriminate against faith-based organizations. We've ensured that these groups do not have to give up their religious character to receive taxpayer money," he said.

In 2007 faith-based organizations received more than 3,200 grants, totaling more than $2.2 billion, said Jay Hein, deputy assistant to the president and director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives.

With more than 200 speakers at the two-day conference, Hein said it was his office's job to inspire participants to continue their philanthropic work and find the assistance they require to reach out to those in need.

Both presumptive nominees for president -- Democratic Sen. Barack Obama and Republican Sen. John McCain -- have said they plan to continue the faith-based initiatives if elected to office in November, he said.

"If a nonprofit organization has a good program for fighting gang violence, the Department of Justice should be able to fund it," said Michael B. Mukasey, U.S. attorney general. "It should not, and now does not, matter in the slightest if that group has a Catholic priest on its board of directors."

Faith-based organizations have the experience and know-how to run relief programs efficiently, and with federal funds they will be able to reach out to more people in an effort to improve their lives, Mukasey said.

"If someone has developed an innovative program to help teach life skills to prison inmates, to help them become productive members of society once they've served their time, it should not, and now does not, matter in the slightest if the person teaching that class wears a Jewish yarmulke or a Muslim 'kufi,'" he said.

"What should, and now does, matter a great deal is that a program is effective, and that all groups, including faith-based groups, have an equal opportunity to compete" for funding, he added.

With 60 million people volunteering in the U.S. -- a third of whom help out through faith-based groups -- and charitable donations at a record-breaking $300 billion in 2007, Bush said these figures prove the initiatives are successful.

He also pointed out the partnership reaches beyond U.S. borders to those in need globally.

"When we were in Tanzania, we went to visit a clinic where a 9-year-old girl was HIV-positive, and she'd lost both her parents to AIDS," Bush said. "And for the last year, Catholic Relief Services had been helping the girl. And her grandmother said this: 'As a Muslim, I never imagined a Catholic group would help me like that.' And she went on to say, 'I'm so grateful to the American people.'"

CRS is the U.S. bishops' overseas relief and development agency.

Throughout the two-day conference, the hundreds of participants were told how to expand their programs, engage social entrepreneurs through vouchers and other mechanisms, and attract private sector money and expertise, among other useful tools for their organizations.

"This is not a political convention," Bush told the cheering audience. "It's a compassion convention. It's a we-don't-care-about-politics convention. It's a we-care-about-saving-lives convention."

Witnessing the work in faith-based programs from Baltimore to Africa has proved to him that God's followers are living all around him, he said.

"So I've been proud to stand by you as you have worked these miracles across our country," Bush said. "You probably don't even realize some of the acts of kindness are miracles. I'm telling you they are. And you can find it in the hopeful expressions on the people you've helped."

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06/26/2008

Religion News Service
Adelle M. Banks
06/26/2008

President Bush on Thursday (June 26) touted the successes of his initiative to partner faith-based and community organizations with government funds, calling it a key part of his presidency.

"I truly believe the faith-based initiative is one of the most important initiatives of this administration," Bush said in a keynote speech to some 1,100 clergy, government staffers and nonprofit leaders attending a national conference sponsored by the White House Office of Faith-based and Community Initiatives.

On Thursday, the White House announced that faith-based organizations won more than 3,200 grants in fiscal year 2007, totaling $2.2 billion of the $15.3 billion in grants awarded to nonprofits. The total amount of grants increased by 3.9 percent from $14.7 billion in the previous fiscal year.

"I am confident that the progress that you have made over the last eight years will continue," Bush said at the conference. "I'm confident because the movement is bigger than politics or any political party. This is not a political convention. This is a compassion convention. ... We care about saving lives."

Bush also highlighted the program earlier in the day at the annual National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast.

"I understand this: Government can hand out money but government cannot put hope in a person's heart," Bush said. "And oftentimes that is found in our faith community and our community organizations. And so we've lowered the barriers that kept government and faith-based groups needlessly divided."

Critics, however, continue to question the initiative's merits.

The Rev. Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, said the initiative should be "shut down, not celebrated."

At the Hispanic prayer breakfast, leaders from both parties referenced the debate over immigration. "The one thing I would like to say on Sen. (John) McCain's behalf is that this is an issue that needs to be solved, not demagogued," said Sen. Lindsay Graham, R-S.C.

Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., leader of the House Democrats' Faith Working Group, added, "We must work together to be good neighbors to those who are new Americans, those who wish to be Americans, those who are looking to us to restore hope and faith in them."

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Business Wire
Business Wire
06/26/2008

THE PRESIDENT: Gracias. Siéntese. (Laughter.) Luis, thank you, sir. So he asked, would I come to the prayer breakfast. My answer was, por supuesto. (Laughter.) I am honored to join you. I was proud to stand with you in 2002 at the first National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast. Today, I am proud to stand with you for the final time as your sitting President. This happens to be an important event, in my view. It's an important event because it reminds us that no matter what our status in life might be, that we have a duty to respond to a higher power. You know, next year in Crawford, Laura and I are going to have a different kind of prayer breakfast. I'll be cooking the eggs, and she'll be praying I don't burn them. (Laughter.)

I do want to welcome the First Lady of Panama, Vivian Fernandez de Torrijos. Thank you for coming. (Applause.) As some of you may or may not know, the -- mi niaita lived in Panama for a while, and the government and the people there were so kind and hospitable, and I'll never be able to repay you for that. So thank you very much. Please give your esposo my best regards, el Presidente de Panamá. Sí, thank you. Proud to be here with pastors and community leaders. Thank you for doing what you're doing.

Each of you here this morning is here to celebrate a simple and powerful act -- prayer to an Almighty God. You know the comfort that comes from placing our worries in the hands of a higher power. You know the humility that comes from approaching our Maker on bended knee. And you know the strength that comes from lifting our thoughts from worldly cares and focusing on the eternal.

Today I ask all to join together to pray that God continues to bestow His blessings on our wonderful country. We pray that the Almighty will strengthen America's families. A caring family is the foundation of a hopeful society. We pray that every child in America can grow up in a loving and stable home. We pray for the day when every child in America is welcomed in life and protected in law. (Applause.) And we pray that in every community across this great land, the Almighty will strengthen los valores de la familia y de la fe. (Applause.)

We pray that America will strengthen those who serve nuestros hermanos y hermanas in need. We pray for the continued success of faith-based and community groups like Esperanza -- (applause) -- all aiming to transfer [sic] our great country one heart, one soul, one conscience at a time. I was proud to hear of the work of Esperanza in Philadelphia. I've known Esperanza for ochos aaos. I was first impressed by the vision of making sure that every child gets a good education. It's Luis who started the charter school. It's a tremendous school. Less than one percent of students drop out -- and more than 90 percent of the graduates are planning to go to college this fall. There's nothing more hopeful than to give a child a good education. (Applause.)

I'm impressed by the program called Esperanza Trabajando. This program helps at-risk youths and former prisoners move from lives of hopelessness to futures of accomplishment and self-sufficiency. Esperanza Trabajando, for those of you who don't speak Spanish -- and frankly, mine isn't all that good -- (laughter) -- means "Hope is Working" -- and that's exactly what you are demonstrating, Luis, and others in this room demonstrate cada día -- every day.

For the past eight years, my administration has provided unprecedented support for the compassionate work performed by faith-based and community groups, because I understand this: government can hand out money, but government cannot put hope in a person's heart. And oftentimes that is found in our faith community and our community organizations. And so we've lowered the barriers that kept government and faith-based groups needlessly divided -- and ensured that America's armies of compassion are at the center of our nation's efforts to make our society more hopeful for every individual.

Organizations like yours have shown the ability to save and change lives. And in your mercies of love and mercy, you must always have a strong and reliable partner in government.

We pray that Almighty will strengthen and protect those who serve the cause of freedom. These brave men and women share our cherished belief that the desire for liberty is written by the Almighty in every human heart. We believe in the universality of freedom. And where we see people suffer from forms of government that create hopelessness, or disease and hunger, and mosquito bites, that deny people a hopeful life, the United States must act under the theory, under the principle that to whom much is given, much is required. (Applause.)

I'm impressed, deeply impressed by those who wear our nation's uniform. (Applause.) I appreciate -- some have given their lives, others have suffered injuries in freedom's cause. And this morning, I am honored to note that five brave servicemen who are being treated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center are with us today. We thank you for your sacrifice, we pray for your recovery, and we honor your service to the United States of America. (Applause.)

This, like, might not be on the schedule, but if you five guys would mind letting me have my picture taken with you, I'd be honored -- so, like, when the speech is about to end, which is soon, head to the exits, and I'll see you.

We also honor those who struggle for freedom against oppressive regimes. It's essential that the United States always remember, in our great comfort that we always remember that there are those who want their freedom just like we have our freedom. One of those men is Juan Carlos Gonzales Leiva. He's a lawyer and human rights activist on the island of Cuba. Juan Carlos was unjustly jailed for more than two years by the Cuban regime because he supported a dissident journalist. While he was imprisoned, his cane and his dark glasses were confiscated -- which was especially cruel, because Juan Carlos is blind. The guards took away his Braille Bible. But they could not take away his spirit. Today, Juan Carlos is no longer in jail, but he remains under the surveillance of the Cuban government.

Juan Carlos continues his important fight for human rights in Cuba, and the United States must always stand squarely with those who struggle for their human rights against tyranny. And today we're honored that his hermano is with us. Onel Ramon Gonzales Leiva is here on his behalf. Onel, we want to thank you for coming. Our prayers go out to your brother and those who struggle with him. And we ask for the day, we pray for the day when the light of liberty shines on the people of Cuba and those who long for freedom. Onel, bienvenidos. (Applause.)

So as I mentioned, this is my last visit as your President to the Hispanic Prayer Breakfast. It's been a joy every time I have come. During the last seven-and-a-half years, I have been touched by how many Americans have come up and said, "I'm praying for you, Mr. President." People I've never seen before in my life, may never see again. It's amazing, you would think they would come up and say, I'd like a new highway, or -- (laughter) -- how about an additional bridge. But, no, total strangers come and say, I just want you to know we lift you up in prayer. Somebody asked me what all that meant, and I said, well, you know, I'm finally beginning to understand the story of the calm in the rough seas. And I attribute it to the fact that millions of people have been so kind and generous to pray for me and Laura.

And so on my final trip here as your sitting President, I thank you for your prayers. I can't thank you enough for your spiritual support. And it's made a significant difference during these seven-and-a-half years. Being your President has been an unimaginable honor and a joyous experience.

Thank you, and God bless.

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PR Newswire
PR Newswire
06/26/2008

The following are the remarks prepared for delivery by Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey at the White House Office on Faith-Based and Community Initiatives 2008 National Conference:

Good morning. It's a pleasure to join you in celebrating the work of the Faith-Based and Community Initiative. I'd like to thank the President for his leadership on this important issue, and Jay Hein for inviting me to join you.

Seven years ago, the President launched the Faith-Based and Community Initiative. When he did that, he called on each of our agencies to put faith-based and other local community organizations at the center of the government's efforts to respond to human needs. And we have answered that call. Throughout the federal government - and even beyond, because many state and local governments also followed the President's lead - we are working as never before in partnership with faith-based and community organizations, to achieve real results.

Take the Department's efforts to promote rehabilitation in prison and to try to smooth out what is often a rough transition from prison back to free society. Working with faith-based and community organizations, the Department's Federal Bureau of Prisons operates Life Connections, a voluntary faith- and character-based in-prison reentry program in five facilities. An interim study of this program showed that graduates were about 50% less likely to commit acts of serious misconduct in prison.

Similarly, the Administration's Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative has provided more than $100 million to 69 state agencies, all of which work with faith-based and community organizations to assist ex-prisoners in getting jobs, housing, and other services they need to help keep them from re-offending. Preliminary results show that these ex-prisoners have done better on almost every measure, from housing, to employment, to avoiding alcohol and drug abuse.

Or consider our efforts to combat gang violence. Although prosecutions obviously play a large part in the fight against violent crime, prevention does too. Enforcing the law by taking those who terrorize our streets off those streets is important, but our ultimate goal is to keep kids out of gangs in the first place.

Faith-based and community groups are key partners in these efforts. Through our Gang Reduction and Intervention Program and our Comprehensive Anti-Gang Initiative, we have funded large numbers of faith-based and community groups that aim to give kids and their families healthy - and safe - alternatives to gang involvement. The results have been impressive. For example, the Dallas-Fort Worth site reports that, of 900 former gang members and other at-risk youth who participated in its programs in 2007, not one - that's right, not even a single one - committed an offense during that school year. Moreover, their school attendance and family relationships improved during the same period.

I could go on and on, but these examples are enough to make my point: that working with a full range of local groups, including faith-based and community organizations, is often the best way to tackle problems, especially local problems. Programs like these, that build on the existing structures of local organizations, can help tremendously in a lot of what we are trying to do to make peoples' lives better, and to keep them safe.

The results produced by these programs are among the many accomplishments of the Faith-Based and Community Initiative that we appropriately celebrate today. But perhaps the most significant and lasting accomplishment of the Initiative is not the results of any one program, but the mere fact - and there's really nothing "mere" about it at all - that these programs, and others like them, are now welcomed as partners by the government.

As you know, that was not always the case. When the President launched his Faith-Based and Community Initiative in 2001, faith-based organizations faced many and varied obstacles to working with federal agencies. Good faith concerns about entanglement between government and religion led to a situation in which the religious identity of faith-based organizations trying to partner with government often had to be hidden or compromised. In some instances, these organizations were totally excluded from federal programs. Where they were allowed to take part, they were often required to change their religious character or to restrict their religious activities in ways not required by the Constitution.

Of course, religiously affiliated providers were not always excluded, and signs of religion were not always discouraged. But there was a chilling effect, and a lot of confusion. Many organizations doubted that they were eligible to be government partners; and government officials feared that they might be wrongly accused of supporting religion if they were to give a grant or a contract to a faith-based organization.

The President recognized that this meant a lost opportunity to work with some of the best available partners in many communities - the groups who were already established and doing exactly the kind of good work we were trying to support. So he called for a reexamination of why it was that faith-based organizations faced hurdles when they tried to work with federal agencies, and of how we might lower or eliminate those hurdles in a way consistent with the Constitution.

The Department of Justice has played, and will continue to play, a major role in that reexamination. In doing so, we built upon the principles behind Congress's Charitable Choice laws and the Supreme Court's First Amendment jurisprudence: that government must respect the essential character of faith-based providers; that no one needing help may be turned away because of his or her religion and that no one may be forced into religious practices; and that directly-awarded government funds must be spent on social services, not on religion.

Building upon these principles, we helped enact equal treatment regulations in nearly every federal department that offers grants to nonprofit organizations.

We provided guidance on how and when government may enlist faith-based organizations, and what faith-based organizations may do with government funds.

We clarified the statutory rights of faith-based organizations to consider their faith in making hiring decisions, and we made sure these groups knew about their rights.

And we argued strenuously in the courts, including in the Supreme Court, on behalf of these programs and the equal treatment principles that underlie them.

Thanks in part to these efforts, today, as never before, the law guarantees evenhandedness. The watchword in this area is now "neutrality." That means a body of laws and regulations that provide for the equal treatment of faith-based and other community organizations in the awarding of government grants and in participation in government programs.

It means greater freedom for faith-based organizations to be faithful to what they are. Faith-based groups, like other community organizations, can promote common values, provide a sense of community, associate freely, and serve society in accordance with their beliefs. And they can do so free from government interference.

The point is not to elevate faith-based organizations above others or to give them any preferences in the process, simply because of their faith. But neither is it to disregard or disadvantage them simply because of their faith.

Our nation is large and diverse, and our federal government does not by any means have all the answers to every challenge that we face. Sometimes, we must rely on communities, private groups and the American people to provide their own solutions.

Faith-based and community organizations always have had - and always will have - a vital role to play in coming up with those solutions. From the Salvation Army to United Jewish Communities, from Big Brothers Big Sisters to Boys and Girls Clubs of America, our nation has been blessed throughout its history with the guidance and involvement of community organizations, some that were based on principles of faith and some that were not.

Thanks to the President's Initiative, government can now profit from this guidance and involvement as never before.

If a non-profit organization has a good program for fighting gang violence, the Department of Justice should be able to fund it. It should not, and now does not, matter in the slightest if that group has a Catholic priest on its board of directors.

If someone has developed an innovative program to help teach life skills to prison inmates, to help them become productive members of society once they've served their time, it should not, and now does not, matter in the slightest if the person teaching that class wears a Jewish yarmulke or a Muslim kufi.

What should, and now does, matter a great deal is that a program is effective, and that all groups, including faith-based groups, have an equal opportunity to compete.

We as a nation cannot afford - even if some would want to do such a thing - to turn away help, just because it is offered by someone who is motivated by religious faith. We as a government do not have the right to turn away from competing for grants those who fail to meet a religious litmus test.

Work remains to be done, but I am proud of what we have achieved so far. I believe we have gotten closer to the intent of the First Amendment and to the design of the American experiment, in which religious faith is honored but not required; in which religious motivations for service, like humanitarian motivations, are respected; and in which excellent local organizations, both faith-based and secular alike, can be partners with the government.

The reforms we have accomplished are vital for religious freedom, both for organizations that participate and for people who need help, and they have moved us toward our overall goal of better services. We have tried to clear the air, to clarify for faith-based organizations, and also for government officials, what the guidelines are, and where the line is between inappropriate government support for religion and inappropriate discrimination against religion.

This greater clarity has encouraged many faith-based organizations to lend their expertise and services to the government by becoming our partners. And by making it clear to government officials that their mandate is to seek the best providers, these reforms have contributed to the overall goal of ensuring the most effective help for all our citizens.

I thank you for your hard work in advancing the noble goals of the President's Faith-Based and Community Initiative; and for your help in creating the level playing field required by our laws and fundamental principles of fairness.

Thank you very much.

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06/25/2008

Christian Newswire
Christian Newswire
06/25/2008

On the Origins of the President's Faith-Based and Community Initiatives:

During my first campaign for the White House, I was troubled to see so many of our citizens' greatest needs going unmet. Across our country, the hungry, homeless, sick, and suffering begged for deliverance - and too many heard only silence in reply.

The tragedy was that there were good men and women across America who had the desire to help - but not the resources. And because many of them belonged to faith-based organizations, they were often barred from receiving support from the federal government.

So I set about to change this with a new approach called "compassionate conservatism." This approach was compassionate, because it was rooted in a timeless truth: that we ought to love our neighbors as we'd like to be loved ourselves. And this approach was conservative, because it recognized the limits of government: that bureaucracies can put money in people's hands, but they cannot put hope in people's hearts.

On Government Support for Faith-Based and Community Groups:

Putting hope in people's hearts is the mission of our Nation's faith-based and community groups. Groups like yours know that you are only as good as your results. It does not matter if there is a crescent on your group's wall, a rabbi on your group's board, or Christ in your group's name. If your organization puts medicine in people's hands, food in people's mouths, or a roof over people's heads, then you are succeeding - and the government should support your work.

We have helped level the playing field for faith-based groups and other charities - especially small organizations that had struggled to compete for funds in the past. We have educated religious groups about their civil rights. We have made the federal grant-application process more accessible and transparent. We have trained thousands of federal employees to ensure that the government does not discriminate against faith-based organizations. And we have ensured that these groups do not have to give up their religious character to receive taxpayer money.

On the Philosophy Behind the Faith-Based and Community Initiative:

We followed a principle rooted both in our Constitution and the best traditions of our Nation: Government should never fund the teaching of faith, but it should support the good works of the faithful.

On the Impressive Results Faith-Based and Community Groups Have Delivered While Revolutionizing the Way Our Government Confronts Some of Today's Biggest Challenges:

Faith-based and community groups like yours have revolutionized the way our government shelters the homeless. According to the most recent data, this program has helped reduce the number of chronically homeless by nearly 12 percent - getting more than 20,000 Americans off the streets.

Faith-based and community groups like yours have revolutionized the way our government helps Americans break the chains of addiction. So far, Access to Recovery has helped approximately 200,000 addicts along the path toward clean lives - many through faith-based organizations.

Faith-based and community groups have revolutionized the way our government helps the children of prisoners. Through our Mentoring Children of Prisoners program, we have joined with faith-based and community groups to match nearly 90,000 children of prisoners with adults who offer love, guidance, and a positive example.

Faith-based and community groups like yours have also revolutionized the way our government gives prisoners across America a second chance. Nationwide, 44 percent of prisoners are rearrested within one year of their release. Yet among the prisoners you work with through this program, that number is almost three times lower - just 15 percent.

Faith-based and community groups like yours have revolutionized the way our government alleviates suffering and disease around the world - especially on the continent of Africa. Your organizations are vital to our efforts to defeat malaria - a disease which kills one African child every 30 seconds.

On the Important Role Faith-Based Groups Have Played in the Success of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief:

Your organizations are also vital to our Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. When we launched this program in 2003, about 50,000 people in Sub-Saharan Africa were receiving anti-retroviral treatment for HIV/AIDS. Today, we are releasing the newest PEPFAR results - and they show that we now support treatment for nearly 1.7 million. One of the beautiful things about this initiative is that we are also saving babies. To date, PEPFAR has allowed nearly 200,000 African babies to be born HIV-free.

These new numbers show that our Emergency Plan is a huge success. Much of the credit goes to our partners who carry out PEPFAR's work - nearly a quarter of them faith-based groups.

On Continuing the Progress Made by the Armies of Compassion:

I am grateful to all of you who serve in our armies of compassion - both here in America, and around the world. Because of you, our Nation has made great strides toward fulfilling the noble goals that gave rise to the Faith-Based and Community Initiative. And because of you, I am confident that the progress we have made over the last eight years will continue.

I am confident because this movement is bigger than politics or party. Today, 35 governors - 19 Democrats and 16 Republicans - have established their own faith-based and community initiatives. And more than 70 mayors of both parties have similar programs at the municipal level.

I am confident because this initiative has built a powerful grassroots network. Over the past eight years, we have trained nearly 100,000 social entrepreneurs. Last year alone, we provided more than 19,000 competitive grants to community and faith-based organizations. With this support, we have laid the foundation for an effort that will continue transforming lives long after my time in office.

I am confident because this initiative has tapped into the compassionate spirit of America. Over the past seven years, more of our fellow citizens have discovered that the pursuit of happiness leads to the path of service. Americans have volunteered in record numbers. And of the 60 million people who now give their time to others, more than one-third do so through faith-based groups.

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