    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2001, Book II)]
    [August 18, 2001]
    [Pages 990-991]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    The President's Radio Address
    August 18, 2001

        Good morning. This month, in my travels around the country, I am
    talking about values that make communities strong and our Nation unique.
    One of those essential American values is compassion.
        A little more than a week ago, I visited a Habitat for Humanity
    building site, where volunteers were helping a family find the dignity
    of owning a home. Every community offers its own examples of service:

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    shelters for battered women and children; crisis pregnancy centers;
    treatment for drug addiction; care for the homeless; hope for those in
    prison and their families. The groups behind these caring efforts have
    advantages Government social programs often can't match: the idealism of
    volunteers and intimate knowledge of the communities they serve and
    values stronger than the problems they face. A compassionate Government
    should find ways to support their good works.
        Unfortunately, Government often treats charities and community
    groups as rivals instead of partners, and this week came some new
    evidence. Soon after I took office, I instructed my Office of Faith-
    Based and Community Initiatives to examine Federal rules and regulations
    for discrimination against community and faith-based groups. Five
    Cabinet agencies now have issued their findings. Their report, entitled
    ``Unlevel Playing Field,'' documents a Government bias against faith-
    and community-based organizations, a bias that exists even when
    constitutional concerns about church and state have been addressed.
        Government administrators restrict religious groups from even
    applying for funding simply because they are religious. They place
    artificial limits on what programs and how much funding faith-based
    groups can apply for. In some cases, they restrict civil rights these
    faith-based and community-based groups enjoy under Federal law. This is
    wrong.
        Next Wednesday will mark the fifth anniversary of a bipartisan
    charitable choice legislation. This law says faith-based organizations
    should be able to compete for some contracts to provide social services.
    But even this limited charitable choice law has been almost entirely
    ignored by many Federal administrators. They've done little to help or
    require State and local governments to involve faith-based providers, as
    the law requires.
        I've appointed advocates in five Cabinet agencies to end this bias,
    and soon. My Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives is also
    working closely with groups to help them know their civil rights, know
    how to effectively apply for funds so their good works can be expanded.
    We must also broaden charitable choice to more social service areas,
    removing barriers of discrimination against the participation of faith
    and community groups. By doing so, we will welcome them to more fully
    confront the poverty and hopelessness that remain in America.
        The House of Representatives took a key step in leveling the playing
    field by passing my Faith-Based and Community Initiative, which broadens
    charitable choice and encourages charitable giving. I applaud the
    bipartisan House vote and urge the Senate to pass that legislation, with
    the leadership from Senators Joe Lieberman and Rick Santorum. The needs are
    real. The time to act is as soon as Congress returns to work after Labor
    Day.
        If you agree, let your Senator know, if you see him or her during
    the congressional recess. Faith-based and community groups cannot
    replace the work of Government, but with Government's help, they can
    serve many more people. And my administration is committed to providing
    that help.
        Compassion is one of the values that builds communities of
    character, because every community of character must be a community of
    service.
        Thank you for listening.

    Note: The address was recorded at 9:45 a.m. on August 16 at the Bush
    Ranch in Crawford, TX, for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on August 18. The
    transcript was made available by the Office of the Press Secretary on
    August 17 but was embargoed for release until the broadcast. The Office
    of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish language transcript of
    this address.