February 6, 2012

A Supreme Court Ruling Unlocks Government Aid for Religious Groups

By Suzanne Garment and Leslie Lenkowsky

Despite bipartisan support from Presidents Clinton, George W. Bush, and Obama, efforts to provide more federal aid to religious charities have faced a difficult time. Among the chief roadblocks have been objections raised by civil libertarians and others about the constitutionality of using government money to pay for programs conducted by people hired on the basis of their religious beliefs.

But last month, the Supreme Court may have cleared away this obstacle. In a dispute involving