CHARITABLE CHOICE DESERVES A BOOST

Bolstered by an endorsement from Vice President Al Gore, Missouri U.S. Sen. John Ashcroft introduced legislation last week to open federally funded social programs to more church involvement. Ashcroft proposes an across-the-board expansion of a provision he sponsored in the 1996 welfare overhaul. Under "charitable choice," public welfare funds can go to faith-based programs, striking a rule that religion be kept out of any program run under contract with the states.

Now the conservative lawmaker wants this concept extended to all federal laws allowing government contracts with churches and religious groups. That would include such programs as public housing, drug and alcohol treatment, juvenile crime prevention, sex education and services for the elderly. The original charitable-choice provision passed with bipartisan support and currently applies when states contract with private-sector groups to aid mostly single mothers with dependent children.

Vice President Gore endorsed the plan last week at a speech at the Salvation Army in Atlanta. Ashcroft welcomed Gore's interest, adding that Texas Gov. George W. Bush, the GOP front-runner, has also embraced the idea.

Charitable choice will stand as one of the signal achievements of the Ashcroft Senate legacy. Special care will have to be taken, however, to ensure that in this or any other expansion of charitable choice, the independence of these private and religious institutions isn't compromised or bargained away. Were that to happen it would truly be one step forward, two steps back.