HR 4084 IH

To amend the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 to prohibit the use of community development block grant funds for activities involving acquisition of church property, unless the consent of the church is obtained.

March 23, 2000

Mr. PAUL introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Banking and Financial Services

To amend the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 to prohibit the use of community development block grant funds for activities involving acquisition of church property, unless the consent of the church is obtained.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the "Church Protection Act of 2000."

SECTION 2. PROHIBITION ON USE OF AMOUNTS TO ACQUIRE CHURCH PROPERTY.

Section 105 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5305) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

‘‘(i) PROHIBITION ON USE OF ASSISTANCE TO ACQUIRE CHURCH PROPERTY.—Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, no amount from a grant under section 106 may be used to carry out or assist any activity if such activity, or the project for which such activity is to be conducted, involves acquisition of real property owned by a church that is exempt from tax under section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 501(a)), unless the governing body of the church has previously consented to such acquisition.’’.

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