Reply #1: Religious groups has increased 7 percent in the past year, to $2.15 billio

[Pryderi]

Remember, Olasky says, the faith-based initiative was the president's first major policy initiative when he came to office in January 2001. But Olasky says the White House chose tax cuts over the faith-based initiative in those first few months, and after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, the issue had lost its momentum.

Not so, says James Towey, the administration's point man on the issue.

"The president is delivering on his promise," Towey counters. "Grants to religious charities are up again this year. Congress sent him legislation to protect religious hiring. You see 32 governors now with faith-based offices, so this isn't just a Washington phenomenon. But having said that, there's been a steady headwind all along. I don't think that's ever going to let up. This is a culture change and it takes years."

Specifically, Towey says the amount of federal money going to religious groups has increased 7 percent in the past year, to $2.15 billion. The reason it's not more, he says, is that some invisible barriers remain. For example, he finds it "shocking" that local and state governments awarded only 2-5 percent of their contracts to religious charities. Moreover, Towey says, Congress has not passed legislation allowing for faith-based initiatives, forcing the president to take down "barriers" through executive order.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5254851