Stimulus Bill might limit churches

This is from page 193 of the stimulus bill, that could be voted on by the Senate as early as today.

(3) PROHIBITED USES OF FUNDS.—No funds
awarded under this section may be used for—
(A) the maintenance of systems, equipment, or facilities, including maintenance associated with any permissible uses of funds described in paragraph ;
(B) modernization, renovation, or repair of
stadiums or other facilities primarily used for
athletic contests or exhibitions or other events
for which admission is charged to the general public;
(C) modernization, renovation, or repair of
facilities— (i) used for sectarian instruction, religious worship, or a school or department of divinity; or in which a substantial portion of
the functions of the facilities are subsumed
in a religious mission; or (D) construction of new facilities.

This is a very general line in the Economic Stimulus bill being debated in the Senate. Some have suggested that it might cause schools to lose government grants or funding if there is a church meeting there. Someone mentioned this to me last week but I didn’t really hear much about it. I asked my lawyer wife. She thinks it is more targeted at “christian schools.”

It falls under (C) which says “modernization, renovation, or repair of facilities”. I interpurt that as saying the money giving to a school can’t be used to make a place better or renovated for a religious group. BUT I am sure the ACLU will use it to say NO CHURCHES in schools.

Something to chew on. Might be a small step in limiting churches in America. You decide.