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[Pages H1444-H1445]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
LEADERS DOING GREAT JOB ON CORONAVIRUS
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from
North Carolina (Mr. Budd) for 5 minutes.
Mr. BUDD. Mr. Speaker, I rise to discuss the coronavirus.
I want to reassure folks that since we first learned about this
virus, our government has been very proactive in its response.
The President took charge and assembled a task force, headed by the
Vice President, that brought together the best and the brightest
doctors, scientists, and health experts that our country has to offer.
The President also took the crucial step of implementing a travel ban
on China to slow down the spread of the outbreak within our borders.
While our government is appropriately handling the spread of the
coronavirus, our citizens can help as well.
Mr. Speaker, I urge everyone to go to cdc.gov, follow the latest
developments, and learn about easy ways that you can avoid getting
sick.
America must always be ahead of the game on viral threats like these,
and I am proud to say that our leaders are doing a great job.
{time} 1030
Essential Support Faith-Based Organizations Provide for Communities
Mr. BUDD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight the essential
support that faith-based organizations give to the communities around
them, including during times of crisis.
During Hurricane Florence, in 2018, volunteers from Samaritan's Purse
were on the ground after the hurricane had devastated thousands of
homes across my State.
Lorraine Jenkins, a resident of New Bern, my mother's childhood home
in North Carolina, said that she ``had faith but needed a little more
strength'' when she returned to her home to find it flooded with 18
inches of water. Thankfully, several volunteers from Samaritan's Purse
were there to pray with Lorraine to give her the strength that she
needed.
During Hurricane Dorian, in 2019, the Salvation Army provided over
43,000 meals, 55,000 drinks, 25,000 snacks, and 48 full cleanup kits to
victims.
Mr. Speaker, faith-based organizations also provide key support
services to children, many of whom are victims of the opioid crisis.
This crisis has left over 92,000 children in foster care and in need of
loving homes. Faith-based adoption agencies play a pivotal role in
finding homes for these children.
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Sadly, despite the clear benefits faith-based organizations provide
to the communities around them, there remains an ongoing push to strip
them of Federal funding or to even shut them down for following their
sincerely held religious beliefs. That is why, this week, I am
introducing the Equal Treatment of Faith-Based Organizations Act, along
with several of my colleagues.
My bill codifies into law parts of the recently proposed HHS rule to
ensure equal treatment for faith-based organizations. My bill reverses
the discriminatory policy from the previous administration that
required faith-based providers of social services to disclose their
religious affiliation and refer potential clients to other providers.
My bill also allows faith-based organizations to apply for Federal
funding on equal footing with secular organizations.
Mr. Speaker, the Federal Government has no business discriminating
against faith-based organizations purely on the basis of their
sincerely held religious beliefs. I am proud to lead this legislation
and to protect the good work that faith-based organizations do every
day.
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