H.R. 7, the Community Solutions Act, on
July 19, 2001, won House passage by a vote of 233-198. The bill includes basic elements of
President Bush's faith-based initiatives: tax incentives for private giving -- scaled back from original
proposals (Title I) -- and expansion of charitable choice (Title II). (Title III deals with individual
development accounts.) H.R. 7 would apply to 9 new program areas "charitable
choice" rules, which forbid discrimination on grounds of religion against faith-based organizations
as providers of specified federally funded services. It includes provisions aimed at protecting the
religious independence of faith-based organizations (for instance, the right to hire only co-religionists
and retain symbols) and protecting the religious freedom of beneficiaries (for instance, the right to
an alternate and accessible provider). The bill bars use of federal grant/cooperative agreement funds
(but not voucher payments) for sectarian worship. Note: This bill expired at the end of the 107th
Congress. President Bush then issued an Executive Order (O13279) directing several Cabinet
departments to adopt charitable choice rules "to the extent permitted by law."