Rep. Smith authored the original legislation
Language allowing houses of worship to receive vital federal disaster assistance was included in the Disaster Recovery Reform Act (HR 4460), which passed out of the
"We are thankful that critical language allowing disaster relief to go to churches, synagogues, and mosques was included in the disaster reform bill," Rep.
"They have been centers of service for communities devastated by natural disasters, like after Superstorm Sandy in 2012, or Hurricane Harvey just this year, providing food, supplies, counseling and other aid despite often suffering damage to their own facilities; they should not be shut out of needed relief and should be treated like other non-governmental organizations."
The bill that was advanced on Thursday included the exact language from Smith's bipartisan bill The Federal Disaster Assistance Nonprofit Fairness Act of 2017 (HR 2405), introduced in May and co-sponsored by a bipartisan group of lawmakers.
That bill enabled houses of worship, currently shut out of receiving federal disaster assistance because of their religious status, to have equal access to this critical aid as secular groups have. Under the bill,
"I am thankful that language was included to allow houses of worship to be eligible for disaster relief and emergency assistance on terms equal to others," Rep.
In September, Smith led other members of
"In addition, the Administration notes its support for legislation that would make houses of worship eligible for disaster relief funding (provided they meet the other relevant criteria for private non-profit facilities) and offers technical assistance regarding the timeframe for applicability,"
Smith originally introduced the Federal Disaster Assistance Nonprofit Fairness Act of 2013 (H.R. 592) after Superstorm Sandy inflicted tens of billions of dollars of damage to the Northeast, and churches were barred from receiving
Recently, the Administration asked, in a letter to Speaker Ryan from Director of the
On
An excerpt of the speech is below:
"It's unconscionable that foundational pillars of our communities damaged by Sandy--synagogues, churches, mosques, temples and other houses of worship--have been categorically denied access to these otherwise generally available relief funds.
"
"Indeed, the congressional precedent favors enacting H.R. 592, as there are several pertinent examples of public funding being allocated to houses of worship. For example,
"
"To continue to single houses of worship out for discrimination does not express government neutrality; it expresses government hostility. And there's no place for government hostility toward religion under our
Read this original document at: https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400790
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