IV 

107TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 539

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that Congress should 

complete action on H.R. 7, the Community Solutions Act of 2001. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 19, 2002

Mr. HAYES (for himself, Mr. FORBES, Mr. HASTERT, Mr. SHAW, Mr. PITTS, 

Mr. GIBBONS, Mr. AKIN, Mr. BALLENGER, Mr. BARR of Georgia, Mr. 

BOEHNER, Mr. BONILLA, Mrs. BONO, Mr. BOOZMAN, Mr. BRADY of 

Texas, Mr. BROWN of South Carolina, Mr. CAMP, Mr. CANTOR, Mr. 

CHAMBLISS, Mr. CRENSHAW, Mrs. CUBIN, Mr. CUNNINGHAM, Mr. TOM

DAVIS of Virginia, Mr. DELAY, Mr. DIAZ-BALART, Mr. DUNCAN, Ms. 

DUNN of Washington, Mr. ENGLISH, Mr. EVERETT, Mr. FLETCHER, Mr. 

FOLEY, Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN, Mr. GEKAS, Mr. GRAVES, Mr. GRUCCI, 

Ms. HART, Mr. HAYWORTH, Mr. HOBSON, Mr. ISSA, Mr. JENKINS, Mr. 

KENNEDY of Minnesota, Mr. KINGSTON, Mr. LATOURETTE, Mr. LEWIS

of Kentucky, Mr. MCINNIS, Mr. DAN MILLER of Florida, Mr. JEFF MILLER of Florida, Mrs. NORTHUP, Mr. NORWOOD, Mr. PENCE, Mr. 

PHELPS, Ms. PRYCE of Ohio, Mr. PUTNAM, Mr. REYNOLDS, Mr. ROYCE, 

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin, Mr. SCHAFFER, Mr. SCHROCK, Mr. SESSIONS, 

Mr. SHADEGG, Mr. SHAYS, Mr. SHIMKUS, Mr. SHOWS, Mr. SIMMONS, 

Mr. TANCREDO, Mr. TAUZIN, Mr. TERRY, Mr. THUNE, Mr. UPTON, Mr. 

VITTER, Mr. WATKINS of Oklahoma, Mr. WATTS of Oklahoma, Mrs. 

WILSON of New Mexico, Mr. WILSON of South Carolina, and Mr. WOLF) 

submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 

on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, 

for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case 

for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 

committee concerned 

RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that 
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•HRES 539 IH 

Congress should complete action on H.R. 7, the Community Solutions Act of 2001.

Whereas Government must ensure that members of organizations seeking to take part in Government programs designed to meet basic and universal human needs are not 

discriminated against because of their religious views; 

Whereas the ‘‘charitable choice’’ principles in H.R. 7 allow 

for the public funding of faith-based organizations that 

have demonstrated abilities to help their neighbors in 

trouble while also preserving the religious character of 

those organizations and protecting the rights of conscience of program beneficiaries; 

Whereas the equal access principles of charitable choice are 

already part of four existing Federal programs that have 

been passed by the Congress and signed into law by 

President Clinton, the first of which was part of the 1996 

Welfare Reform Act, and these programs have benefited 

thousands of persons in need, and many thousands more 

could benefit if the Congress completes action on H.R. 7; 

Whereas the Government too often excludes faith-based organizations from the receipt of Government funds because 

they are perceived as too religious, even when such organizations can help meet basic human needs most effectively and in accordance with the Constitution; 

Whereas charitable choice programs recognize that people in 

need should have the benefit of the best social services 

available, whether the providers of those services are 

faith-based or otherwise; 

Whereas those moved to help others by the strength of faith 

should not face added barriers to Federal social service 

funds, and different rules should not apply to them when 
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•HRES 539 IH 

they seek to cooperate with the Federal Government in 

helping others; 

Whereas H.R. 7 also contains provisions authorizing the administration of a wide array of Federal programs through 

‘‘indirect assistance’’, which H.R. 7 defines as ‘‘assistance in which an organization receiving funds . . . receives such funding only as a result of the private choices 

of individual beneficiaries’’; and on June 27, 2002, the 

Supreme Court held constitutional precisely those forms 

of Government assistance in which aid is directed to religious organizations as a result of such ‘‘private choice’’; 

Whereas local communities throughout the United States 

have seen a dramatic reduction in charitable contributions to local charities causing needs of their citizens to 

go unmet; 

Whereas requests for goods and services from charities, including food, shelter, clothing, and utilities, have increased since the terrorist attacks; 

Whereas more than 84,000,000 people in the United States 

who do not itemize their deductions are discouraged from 

making charitable gifts because they do not receive a tax 

incentive to make charitable contributions; 

Whereas Federal taxes limit the amount of charitable donations that businesses may give; 

Whereas Federal taxes reduce aid from charitable foundations by imposing an unnecessary excise tax on their resources; 

Whereas Federal taxes discourage donations to food banks 

and food recovery organizations; 
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Whereas Federal tax incentives can serve as a powerful tool 

to encourage charitable giving by individuals and businesses; 

Whereas the House of Representatives passed, on a bipartisan basis, H.R. 7, the Community Solutions Act of 

2001, more than 14 months ago, which includes an expansion of charitable choice and faith-based programs 

and tax incentives to encourage charitable giving; 

Whereas the Senate has not passed H.R. 7, the Community 

Solutions Act of 2001, or equivalent legislation; 

Whereas the failure of the 107th Congress to pass H.R. 7, 

the Community Solutions Act of 2001, could adversely 

affect charities and the amount of charitable contributions at a time when the Nation needs to come together 

as a single strong community; and 

Whereas the most desperate in our society deserve the very 

best social services, and if a faith-based organization is 

the best provider of such services, the poor and the needy 

deserve no less: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved, That the 107th Congress should complete 

2 action on and present to the President H.R. 7, the Com3 munity Solutions Act of 2001, prior to adjournment.

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