Court Cases

Supreme Court: FEC v WRTL Right to Life

7/16/07 Supreme Court Addresses Faith-Based Funding; Sidesteps Main Issue. On June 25, the US Supreme Court ruled in the first "faith-based funding" case to reach it, that in this case they would not decide issues of what types of grants to religious groups violate the United States Constitution. Hein v. Freedom from Religion Foundation, Inc was based on a suit by a taxpayer organization against the White House Office of Faith Based and Community Initiatives. The Court held that the taxpayer group did not have standing to bring the lawsuit.

As a result, a number of issues will have to wait for further litigation, including whether federal or state governments may make grants to faith-based organizations that restrict participants to members of a particular religious faith; require participants to attend religious services; require staff members to be members of a particular religious faith; or discriminate in hiring such as refuse to hire homosexuals.

For a copy of the Court Opinion go to http://www.supremecourtus.gov/opinions/06pdf/06-157.pdf. 

(written by Michael A. Sand, head of Sand Associates, a nationwide management consulting group based in Harrisburg.)