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Florida Court to Hear Arguments in Lawsuit Challenging School Voucher Scheme (07/09/2002)
TALLAHASSEE, FL -- A state court will hear arguments today on the constitutionality of Florida's statewide school voucher program in a case brought by a legal team including the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida.

ACLU of Kentucky Lawsuit Challenges Exclusive $2 Million Government Program for Religious Groups (02/27/2002)
LOUISVILLE, KY--Acting on behalf of three local taxpayers, the American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky today filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of a federally funded grant program that excludes any groups that are not affiliated with ""faith-based""organizations. 

High Court Hears Arguments on Ohio Vouchers; ACLU Says Decision Will Have Nationwide Impact (02/19/2002)
NEW YORK--The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments tomorrow on the constitutionality of school voucher schemes in a set of cases that presents the Justices with one of the most vexing social issues confronting the nation, the American Civil Liberties Union said today. 

ACLU Analyzing Latest Faith-Based Bill; Calls It First Step Toward Compromise (02/07/2002)
WASHINGTON -- The American Civil Liberties Union today said that it was still in the process of examining the latest draft of the so-called faith-based legislation but, at first glance, a number of the programs proposed in the bill look like the first step toward a productive compromise. 

ACLU Urges Congress to Heed Cautions, Adopt Recommendations In Consensus Document on Government-Funded Religion (01/15/2002)
WASHINGTON -- The American Civil Liberties Union is committed to protecting religious freedom, the separation of church and state and civil rights and thus has been deeply engaged in the national discussion on the role that the government should play -- if any -- in assisting faith-based and community-based organizations in meeting human needs. 

White House Faith-Based Report Should Have Reflected Lack of Support in Religious Community, ACLU Says (08/14/2001)
WASHINGTON -- With the release of a White House report this afternoon on barriers to federal funding for religious organizations, the American Civil Liberties Union pointed once again to comments solicited by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) from religious and community organizations that show no real need for President Bush's faith-based plan. 

Bush Administration's Own Survey Shows Little Need for Faith-Based Plan; Charities Want More Resources, But Not Right to Discriminate (08/07/2001)
WASHINGTON - Religious organizations responding to an Administration-ordered survey expressed little support for President Bush's faith-based plan, a development that the American Civil Liberties Union today said further discredits the current push for an expansion of government-funded religion.

In Decision Highlighting Danger of Bush Faith-Based Plan, Court Says State-Funded Baptist Group Can Fire Lesbian (07/24/2001)
LOUISVILLE, KY - A federal court today said a taxpayer-funded Baptist agency could legally fire a lesbian, in a decision the American Civil Liberties Union called "a wake-up call" about the dangers posed by the White House's proposed "faith-based initiative." 

House Passes Bush Initiative for Government-Funded Religion (07/19/2001)
WASHINGTON -- The American Civil Liberties Union called today's narrow House passage of the contentious Bush faith-based initiative a grave injury to civil rights and freedom of religion in this country and urged the Senate to reject the measure. 

ACLU Says Changes to Bush Faith-Based Bill Make Government-Funded Discrimination More Likely (06/28/2001)
"It may be hard to believe, but the Administration has actually made this bill even worse," said Terri Schroeder, an ACLU Legislative Counsel. "If this new version were to become law, faith-based discrimination against people in need would become the norm. The changes can in no way be called a compromise." 

As Senate Convenes Hearings, ACLU Says Bush Initiative Represent Faith-Based Prescription for Discrimination (06/06/2001)
WASHINGTON - As a Senate panel convened its first hearings on President Bush's faith-based initiative, the American Civil Liberties Union today said that the Administration's proposal would give federally funded religious organizations carte blanche to discriminate based on religion. 

ACLU Denounces Voucher, Block Grant Schemes; Says Congress Should Reject Divisive Amendments (05/21/2001)
WASHINGTON - With debate heating up this week in Congress over President George W. Bush's proposed education plan, the American Civil Liberties Union today applauded efforts to increase funding to America's public schools but cautioned that any attempt to include voucher or block grant schemes designed to funnel public funds to private or religious schools would invariably have counter-productive and divisive effects. 

Ashcroft Holds Prayer Meetings at White House (05/14/2001)
WASHINGTON, DC -- The Bible study begins each day at 8 a.m. sharp, with Attorney General John D. Ashcroft presiding, The Washington Post reported. 

ACLU Says Watts Charitable Choice Bill Would Give Government-Funded Religious Organizations Carte Blanche to Discriminate (04/26/2001)
WASHINGTON - The American Civil Liberties Union today told a House subcommittee that a bill designed to implement President Bush's faith-based initiative would give federally funded religious organizations carte blanche to discriminate based on religion. 

ACLU Joins Religious Leaders in Fight To Protect Religious Liberty and Stop Discrimination (04/24/2001)
WASHINGTON - The American Civil Liberties Union today welcomed a petition of clergy members urging Congress to reject President Bush's faith-based initiative. 

ACLU Urges House to Reject Watts Faith-Based Bill; Says It Represents Broad Assault on Civil Rights Protections (03/20/2001)
WASHINGTON - Calling it a broad assault on core civil rights protections, the American Civil Liberties Union today urged the House of Representatives to reject the faith-based initiative to be introduced tomorrow morning by Rep. J.C. Watts, a Republican from Oklahoma. 

ACLU Joins Religious Leaders in Fight To Protect Religious Liberty and Stop Discrimination (03/13/2001)
WASHINGTON - The American Civil Liberties Union today welcomed the publication of "Keeping the Faith: The Promise of Cooperation, The Perils of Government Funding: Guidelines for Houses of Worship," a new resource for religious leaders who want to provide social services to their communities without jeopardizing their autonomy or the constitutional and civil rights of people in need. 

ACLU of Illinois Expresses Opposition to Creation of White House Office to Distribute Taxpayer Funds to Religious Organizations (01/29/2001)
CHICAGO--President Bush's creation of a White House office to fund religious organizations' participation in social service programs violates the U. S. Constitution's prohibition against government-sponsored religion and opens the door for tax-funded discrimination in the provision of desperately needed social services and employment.

ACLU Says Bush Initiative Represents Faith-Based Prescription for Discrimination (01/29/2001)
WASHINGTON - The American Civil Liberties Union today said that President George Bush's new initiative to give tax dollars to religious organizations would lead to government-funded discrimination in employment and services and a dangerous loosening of licensing and standards for providers of social services. 

ACLU Applauds Call For Additional Money for Public Schools, Calls President's Voucher Proposals Divisive (01/23/2001)
WASHINGTON - The American Civil Liberties Union today applauded President George W. Bush for his proposal to add significant new resources to the nation's public schools, but said that his plan to use vouchers to divert tax money to private schools threatened to destroy any beneficial elements of his plan.