This Presidential order calls for Homeland Security faith-based initiatives....like the country wasn't f*cked up enough already, now we have official "faith-based" programs? What happened to "separation of church and state"? What's next- a Presidential order that specifies all "non-believers" be put to death?
[hr style="width: 100%; height: 2px;"]
US Presidential Order (13397) orders the Department of Homeland Security to "expand opportunities for faith-based and other community organizations and to strengthen their capacity to better meet America's social and community needs". First and foremost DHS is tasked with creating a "Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives". This center is supposed to be in effect no less than 45 days from the issuance of the Presidential Order. Here's a snip from the order:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
9 March 2006
[Federal Register: March 9, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 46)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Page 12273-12276]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr09mr06-131]
[[Page 12273]]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Part IV
The President
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Executive Order 13397--Responsibilities of the Department of Homeland
Security With Respect to Faith-Based and Community Initiatives
Presidential Documents
___________________________________________________________________
Title 3--
The President
[[Page 12275]]
Executive Order 13397 of March 7, 2006
Responsibilities of the Department of Homeland
Security With Respect to Faith-Based and Community
Initiatives
By the authority vested in me as President by the
Constitution and the laws of the United States of
America, and in order to help the Federal Government
coordinate a national effort to expand opportunities
for faith-based and other community organizations and
to strengthen their capacity to better meet America's
social and community needs, it is hereby ordered as
follows:
Section 1. Establishment of a Center for Faith-Based
and Community Initiatives at the Department of Homeland
Security.
(a) The Secretary of Homeland Security (Secretary)
shall establish within the Department of Homeland
Security (Department) a Center for Faith-Based and
Community Initiatives (Center).
(b) The Center shall be supervised by a Director
appointed by Secretary. The Secretary shall consult
with the Director of the White House Office of Faith-
Based and Community Initiatives (WHOFBCI Director)
prior to making such appointment.
(c) The Department shall provide the Center with
appropriate staff, administrative support, and other
resources to meet its responsibilities under this
order.
(d) The Center shall begin operations no later than
45 days from the date of this order.
Sec. 2. Purpose of Center. The purpose of the Center
shall be to coordinate agency efforts to eliminate
regulatory, contracting, and other programmatic
obstacles to the participation of faith-based and other
community organizations in the provision of social and
community services.
Sec. 3. Responsibilities of the Center for Faith-Based
and Community Initiatives. In carrying out the purpose
set forth in section 2 of this order, the Center shall:
(a) conduct, in coordination with the WHOFBCI
Director, a department-wide audit to identify all
existing barriers to the participation of faith-based
and other community organizations in the delivery of
social and community services by the Department,
including but not limited to regulations, rules,
orders, procurement, and other internal policies and
practices, and outreach activities that unlawfully
discriminate against, or otherwise discourage or
disadvantage the participation of faith-based and other
community organizations in Federal programs;
(b) coordinate a comprehensive departmental effort
to incorporate faith-based and other community
organizations in Department programs and initiatives to
the greatest extent possible;
(c) propose initiatives to remove barriers
identified pursuant to section 3(a) of this order,
including but not limited to reform of regulations,
procurement, and other internal policies and practices,
and outreach activities;
(d) propose the development of innovative pilot and
demonstration programs to increase the participation of
faith-based and other community organizations in
Federal as well as State and local initiatives; and
[[Page 12276]]
(e) develop and coordinate Departmental outreach
efforts to disseminate information more effectively to
faith-based and other community organizations with
respect to programming changes, contracting
opportunities, and other agency initiatives, including
but not limited to Web and Internet resources.
Sec. 4. Reporting Requirements.
(a) Report. Not later than 180 days from the date
of this order and annually thereafter, the Center shall
prepare and submit a report to the WHOFBCI Director.
(b) Contents. The report shall include a
description of the Department's efforts in carrying out
its responsibilities under this order, including but
not limited to:
(i) a comprehensive analysis of the barriers to the full participation of
faith-based and other community organizations in the delivery of social and
community services identified pursuant to section 3(a) of this order and
the proposed strategies to eliminate those barriers; and
(ii) a summary of the technical assistance and other information that will
be available to faith-based and other community organizations regarding the
program activities of the agency and the preparation of applications or
proposals for grants, cooperative agreements, contracts, and procurement.
(c) Performance Indicators. The first report shall
include annual performance indicators and measurable
objectives for Departmental action. Each report filed
thereafter shall measure the Department's performance
against the objectives set forth in the initial report.
Sec. 5. Responsibilities of the Secretary. The
Secretary shall:
(a) designate an employee within the department to
serve as the liaison and point of contact with the
WHOFBCI Director; and
(b) cooperate with the WHOFBCI Director and provide
such information, support, and assistance to the
WHOFBCI Director as requested to implement this order.
Sec. 6. General Provisions. (a) This order shall be
implemented subject to the availability of
appropriations and to the extent permitted by law.
(b) This order is not intended to, and does not,
create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural,
enforceable at law or in equity by a party against the
United States, its agencies, or entities, its officers,
employees, or agents, or any other person.
(Presidential Sig.)B
THE WHITE HOUSE,
March 7, 2006.
[FR Doc. 06-2362
Filed 3-8-06; 11:05 am]
