H. R. 1388

[awip2062]

Did any of you hear of this bill before it became law? I heard of it just this week and upon researching it out as I try to do before coming to you all and spouting off, I saw that it was real, and it had this crazy section in it:

Section 1304 -
Prohibits AmeriCorps participants from engaging in specified political, business, union, and religious activities or displacing employed workers or other volunteers.

I took that quote from a summary of the text off this website:
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xp ... ab=summary

I did note that it does not single out any one religion, so whether you are Muslin or Christian or Wiccan or practice Native American Religion, you cannot participate. The full text of the bill spells out all the specific things you cannot do such as leading a worship service. Now, the way I see it is this: when my son is up with the worship team playing guitar (helping to lead worship) of his own free will, not being told to do so by me or by the government, he is volunteering. This bill is supposed to get people to volunteer in their communities. What is wrong with volunteering in your local, personally chosen religious institution?

[CygnusX1]

I'm gonna take a wild guess here:

Because it appears to be a conflict-of-interest concerning a
government-run-and-funded program?

It almost reeks of the oppressive Hatch Act of 1939.