Pols at odds over hurricane relief funding for churches
Two lawmakers are on opposite sides of a debate over whether churches and other religious institutions should receive federal disaster relief funds.
US Rep. Michael Grimm (R-C-Brooklyn-Staten Island) said he voted in favor of a bill called the Nonprofit Fairness Act of 2013 that would allow churches, synagogues, mosques, and temples to be eligible for disaster relief aid. It would put houses of worship on a level playing field with other nonprofit organizations seeking disaster assistance, according to Grimm, who is a co-sponsor of the bill.
But US Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-Brooklyn-Manhattan) said he reluctantly voted against the bill, even though religious institutions need the help, because he believes it violates the separation of church and state as outlined in the Constitution.