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 MIL-
LER 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
•HRES 539 IH 
Congress should complete action on H.R. 7, the Commu-
nity Solutions Act of 2001.
Whereas Government must ensure that members of organiza-
tions seeking to take part in Government programs de-
signed 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 con-
science 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 orga-
nizations from the receipt of Government funds because 
they are perceived as too religious, even when such orga-
nizations can help meet basic human needs most effec-
tively 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
•HRES 539 IH 
they seek to cooperate with the Federal Government in 
helping others; 
Whereas H.R. 7 also contains provisions authorizing the ad-
ministration of a wide array of Federal programs through 
‘‘indirect assistance’’, which H.R. 7 defines as ‘‘assist-
ance in which an organization receiving funds . . . re-
ceives 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 reli-
gious organizations as a result of such ‘‘private choice’’; 
Whereas local communities throughout the United States 
have seen a dramatic reduction in charitable contribu-
tions to local charities causing needs of their citizens to 
go unmet; 
Whereas requests for goods and services from charities, in-
cluding food, shelter, clothing, and utilities, have in-
creased 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 dona-
tions that businesses may give; 
Whereas Federal taxes reduce aid from charitable founda-
tions by imposing an unnecessary excise tax on their re-
sources; 
Whereas Federal taxes discourage donations to food banks 
and food recovery organizations;
•HRES 539 IH 
Whereas Federal tax incentives can serve as a powerful tool 
to encourage charitable giving by individuals and busi-
nesses; 
Whereas the House of Representatives passed, on a bipar-
tisan basis, H.R. 7, the Community Solutions Act of 
2001, more than 14 months ago, which includes an ex-
pansion 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 contribu-
tions 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
Resolved, That the 107th Congress should complete 
action on and present to the President H.R. 7, the Com-
munity Solutions Act of 2001, prior to adjournment.
Æ