Only a handful of states even implemented the policy. But now, President Bush has made the provision the cornerstone of his initiative to give religious and nonprofit organizations greater access to federal grants to house, feed and counsel the poor. Here are the key parts of the law. State and local governments must allow religious organizations to compete for government-funded grants to deliver social services. Churches and religious organizations have the right to use religious criteria when they hire employees.
Religious groups retain the right to use faith-based concepts and language in providing help.
Government funds can be used only for the purpose of assisting the needy, not for inherently religious activities such as worship, sectarian instruction or proselytization. The Center for Public Justice, a nonpartisan Christian policy research and civic education organization based in Washington. What's new about the Bush plan is the idea of applying the charitable choice provision to every department that administers domestic social service programs. This is the first time an administration has publicly lauded faith-based groups. For instance, the Bush program might create a heavy new paperwork burden on faith-based groups.