Federal Funds Given to Anti-Gay Marriage Groups. Grant Agency lacks oversight and transparency.

[chill_wind]

Federal Grant Agency For Faith-Based Organizations Lacks Oversight, Transparency
Federal Funds Given to Anti-Gay Marriage Groups, Office Provides Little Response

Andy Kopsa 9/16/10 6:43 AM

An obscure branch of the federal government responsible for distributing millions of tax dollars to religious organizations is drawing criticism for poor oversight over how federal grant money is spent and an overall lack of transparency. Good-government advocates warn that without rigorous transparency, the likelihood for corruption, ethics violations and unconstitutional spending of tax dollars is high.


The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is a sub-agency of the Department of Human Services. The programs administered by the ACF that religious organizations most often use — Healthy Marriage, Abstinence Only and The Compassion Capital Fund — cost more than $255 million in 2008, according to the most recent annual report on file,

To critics of these programs, this amounts to a dangerous recipe for potential abuse, thanks to the political activities of many of the groups receiving funding.

(see article)


The Assistant Secretary for Children and Families is a politically appointed position.

Anne Weismann, chief counsel for Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics (CREW) in Washington, D.C., shares Amiri’s concerns about lack of transparency. CREW was responsible for gaining the release of more than five million “lost” Bush era e-mails, and recently filed a Freedom of Information Act requesting John Yoo’s torture memos.

Weismann said she wishes she could be more optimistic about the Obama mandate for transparency, but the policy isn’t being put into practice.

“Phone calls, faxes and e-mails to executive agencies go unanswered, redactions continue to happen,” she said. “We end up suing the government over and over again for the same type of public information, and the American people end up spending money on unnecessary litigation.”

more: http://washingtonindependent.com/97563/federal-grant-agency-for-faith-based-organizations-lacks-oversight-transparency

[chill_wind]

1. FYI

Two of these groups mentioned in the article are local affiliates of the FCR (Family Research Council.

Nice, huh?

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[unapatriciated]

3. rec and kick so more can read

[chill_wind]

4. Appreciated. Thanks

eom

[chill_wind]

9. $3 Million in federal funds just to these haters:

The Iowa Family Policy Center (IFPC) received more than $3 million in federal funds to pay for a marriage-mentoring program. The program, called Marriage Matters, was found not to be a third-party contractor but rather a trademark of the outspoken anti-gay group. IFPC has garnered headlines for its opposition to same-sex marriage, including public allegations that homosexuality poses a greater public health risk than second-hand smoke.

[nashville_brook]

5. k and r -- this is one govt arm i wouldn't mind seeing drowned in the bathtub.

[JohnnyLib2]

6. Alarming--and growing.

[unapatriciated]

7. Why are we still supporting bush's faith based "charities"?

They do little or nothing to help children and families in need. They take our dollars and use them for their political agendas.
This is sad, we do not have the resources to continue doing this. Many children in this country go hungry and without medical care. These alleged charities use the dollars meant for them to promote their religious doctrine.

[Usrename]

8. This is hideous.

But the grown-ups are focusing on change that matters.

:nuke:

[EFerrari]

10. K&R

[FreeState]

11. K&R

Its time we stop funding faith based anything with our tax dollars.

[sakabatou]

12. *headbludgeon*

[LiberalAndProud]

13. Cam we shitcan the faithbased bullshit now, please?

Just cut the entire program and call it an austerity measure.

[cordelia]

14. K & R

[LostinVA]

15. k&r

[LostinVA]

16. k

[chill_wind]

17. Here's the gov website

http://www.acf.hhs.gov/

[ProSense]

18. Wait, this is a report about 2008 funding

"Healthy Marriage, Abstinence Only and The Compassion Capital Fund"

That's from Bush's budget. There is no longer such thing.

The ACF has a new director and budget (PDF of 2010 budget, pages 78-79)

The Budget redirects funding from ACF’s abstinence-only education programs to evidenced based promising teen pregnancy prevention programs as described above. The Administration will not seek reauthorization for the mandatory State Abstinence Education formula grants when they expire in June of 2009. The Budget instead requests $50 million in mandatory funds for State, Tribal, and Territory teen pregnancy prevention efforts.

<...>

Strengthening Communities Fund: The Budget provides $50 million in FY 2010 for the Strengthening Communities Fund (SCF), a new effort created through the Recovery Act and funded at $50 million in FY 2009. Funds will be used to build the capacity of faith-based and community-based non-profits to serve low-income and disadvantaged populations. Grant activities will help these organizations expand service delivery, increase community access to public benefits, and help low and moderate-income people secure and retain employment. The SCF replaces the Compassion Capital Fund.