On June 12, 2003, the following provisions -- which amend previous legislation that prohibited religious discrimination --  were introduced into the Head Start re-authorization bill (HR 2210) in the House Subcommittee on Education Reform markup.  These provisions are not found in the version of  HR 2210 found on the Library of Congress website because they were not a part of the bill as originally introduced in the House on May 22, 2003.

SEC. 114. HEAD START NONDISCRIMINATION PROVISIONS.

Section 654 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9849) is amended to read as follows: 

''SEC. 654. NONDISCRIMINATION PROVISIONS. 

''(a)(1) The Secretary shall not provide financial assistance for any program, project, or activity under this subchapter unless the grant or contract with respect thereto specifically provides that no person with responsibilities in the operation thereof will discriminate with respect to any such program, project, or activity because of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, political affiliation, or beliefs. 

''(2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to a recipient of financial assistance under this subchapter that is a religious corporation, association, educational institution, or society, with respect to the employment of individuals of a particular religion to perform work connected with the carrying on by such corporation, association, educational institution, or society of its activities. Such recipients shall comply with the other requirements contained in this subsection.''.

''(b) No person in the United States shall on the ground of sex be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, be subjected to discrimination under, or be denied employment in connection with any program or activity receiving assistance under this subchapter. 

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