mr. chairman , i will begin by correcting two misunderstandings about this amendment . 
first , it would not keep faith-based organizations from hiring members of their own religion with their own funds in the exercise of their faith . 
second , it would not keep faith-based organizations from participating in job training programs under this bill . 
what this amendment says is that if a faith-based organization accepts federal funds for job training , then in delivering job training , it can not engage in religious discrimination . 
yesterday president bush called on congress , and let me quote , `` to judge faith-based groups by results , not by their religion. '' well , current law does judge faith-based organizations by results , not by their religion . 
but sadly , the supporters of h.r. 27 would allow federally-funded job training programs to judge job applicants by their religion , not by their results . 
under h.r. 27 , a faith-based grantee could refuse to hire the best qualified person for the grant or even fire its best worker because they are not the right religion . 
that is wrong , it is unconstitutional , and it is bad policy . 
when people who desperately need a job seek help , they do not care about the religion of the person helping them , they do care that the person helping them was hired because he or she was the best qualified person , and they do care that the person helping them is not concerned about their religion . 
but when the people providing help are hired because of their own religion , it is naive to think that religion will not permeate the help that they provide , no matter what h.r. 27 says . 
the proof of this slippery slope is in the president 's words . 
in talking about a hypothetical federally-funded methodist alcohol treatment center , he said that the policy should be that `` all are welcome , welcome to be saved so they become sober. '' i support every american 's right to seek salvation through their religion , but our only interest in federally-funded programs should be whether they provide qualified services for which they are funded . 
no , this amendment does not discriminate against religion , it protects people from discrimination because of their religion . 
in closing , i will correct a third misunderstanding , that the faith community opposes this amendment . 
a wide range of faith-based organizations support this amendment because they recognize that it is not an attack on american religious freedoms , but a defense of those freedoms . 
so i thank the gentleman from virginia ( mr. scott ) xz4003641 , the gentleman from maryland ( mr. van hollen ) xz4004150 , the gentleman from texas ( mr. edwards ) xz4001180 , and the gentleman from new york ( mr. nadler ) xz4002890 for their commitments to protecting american 's liberties and i encourage all americans to join us in supporting this amendment . 
