Bush Promotes Faith-Based Poverty Initiatives

May 20 -- President Bush today called on religious groupsto join the government in America's war on poverty.

"Our society must enlist, equip and empower idealistic Americans in works of compassion that only they can provide," he told Notre Dame graduates during his commencement address.

Bush urged a $50 million increase in federal funds for home-building programs like Habitat for Humanity. And he said religious groups should be allowed to compete for federal drug treatmentmoney.

The President promised that the government could keep church and state separate. But critics remain wary.

"Many christian conservatives are concerned that the government will startto have some say in religious matters or begin to regulate religion through the faith-based initiative," said Robert Boston of Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

Praise for Johnson, Clinton

There were some surprises from Mr. Bush today.He praised two of his democraticpredecessors — PresidentJohnson for embarking on the waron poverty 37 years agoand President Clintonfor signing the 1996 welfarereform law.

The graduates also heardPresident Bush offer a rarecriticism of the businesscommunity, which he faltedfor not donating moneyto the religious groups.

"The federal government willnot discriminate againstfaith-based organizationsand neither should corporateAmerica," he told the graduates.

The President'schoice of one of America'slargest catholic universitiesto push his faith-based programwas no accident.

During the campaign, Bushalienated some catholicsby speaking at Bob JonesUniversity.

Now the Bush administration isreaching out to catholicsfor political supportand for help gettingthe president's religiousinitiative back on track.