U.S.
COMMERCE SECRETARY LAUNCHES NEW CENTER FOR FAITH-BASED AND COMMUNITY
INITIATIVES
Commerce
Secretary Donald L. Evans today announced the appointment of David
Bohigian as the Executive Director of the Department of Commerce
Office of Faith- Based and Community Initiatives.
"We
must ensure that the faith that animates the lives of so many Americans
is not inordinately restrained from advancing the public good through
faith-based and community programs,” said Evans.
The President announced his objective to launch a faith-based and
community initiative in an Executive Order issued on Jan. 29, 2001.
The initiative is working to make it easier for these organizations
to work with the government by giving them equal footing with other
contractors when competing for federal dollars. By eliminating bureaucratic
barriers and regulatory hurdles, the program is dedicated to providing
better services for those in need.
In
addition to the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community
Initiatives, the President has established centers for Faith-Based
and Community Initiatives at 9 other agencies: Departments of Justice,
Education, Labor, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development,
Agriculture, Veterans Affairs, the Agency for International Development,
and the Small Business Administration.
The
Department of Commerce has a long history of providing grants and
assistance to distressed communities and small and minority-owned
businesses. The new center will help eliminate regulatory and other
barriers and enable faith-based and community organizations to deliver
outstanding services in these areas.
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