President's Remarks On Faith-Based Initiatives

Here is the full text , as well as a Knight-Ridder news report on, President George W. Bush's remarks to yesterday' White House Conference on Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. In his remarks, the President called for two changes in the Internal Revenue Code-- larger tax deductions for corporate food donations, and permitting individuals to use a portion of IRA funds tax-free for charitable contributions. He went on to say:

As you know, this has been quite a controversial subject here in the United States Congress. We believe in separation of church and state -- the church shouldn't be the state and the state shouldn't be the church. No question that's a vital part of the country, and that's a vital part of our heritage and we intend to keep it that way. But when it comes to social service funding, the use of taxpayers' money, I think we're able to meet the admonition of separation of church and state and, at the same time, recognize that faith programs provide an important model of success. They help us achieve certain objectives in our country.

The White House also issued a Fact Sheet, titled Compassion in Action: Producing Real Results for Americans Most in Need as well as a detailed report on grants to faith-based organizations in fiscal 2005.