Chet Edwards, D-Texas

Bravo! Fighting for truth, justice, and the American way. The Republicans are trying to allow religious tests for federally funded jobs, specifcially in the Community Services Block Grant Program, HR 3030. He brings up Sam Irvin's comments on Title VII of the CIvil Rights Act of 1964 (as amended in 1965). Nice! A Democrat who prepared! I was confused about the fact that this is currently law. That religious organizations that accept federal funds under the CSBGP, and a half dozen other federal programs (3-6?) already allow this. Rep. Edwards said that most of the people who agreed to the law in the first place where unaware of the language. It was passed in 1998. Kudos to Rep. McCollum, for her potent voice. A reluctant kudos to Rep. Bobby Scott, for his poignant reminder that in fact, if not by necessity, religious discrimination is tantamount to racial discrimination in much of the country. Technically, all the credit goes to Rep. Lynn Woolsey(sp?) D-California, whose substitute, a tiny, tactical amendment, is being debated.