A Reform movement leader told Congress that a bill to establish a permanent White House office for faith-based initiatives would violate the Constitution. Rabbi David Saperstein, director of the Religious Action Center for Reform Judaism, blasted the Tools for Community Initiatives Act on Tuesday, at a hearing of the House Government Reform Committee’s subcommittee on criminal justice, drug policy and human resources. “We believe that direct government funding of houses of worship is unconstitutional, bad public policy and bad for religion,” Saperstein said of the bill, according to prepared remarks.
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