President Obama is taking a page from President Bush on faith-based initiatives, keeping many of his predecessor’s controversial programs and creating a a council of religious leaders to offer input.
Obama will maintain much of the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, introduced during the Bush administration, intact. There will remain a White House office and a Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships based in the executive agencies, whose primary mission will be to connect with local, neighborhood faith-based groups to deliver social services.
Obama will privately huddle with some — though not all — of the members of a new, bipartisan advisory committee after tomorrow’s National Prayer Breakfast, but the initiative itself will not be detailed at the breakfast tomorrow, despite contrary reports.
Obama will eventually introduce the “President’s Council on Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships,” which will consist of a broad variety of figures from the political, religious, and service group communities. There will be 25 members of the committee, each appointed to one-year terms.
The council will advise the White House office on the initiatives, and provide input on policy issues.
There was no immediate indication from the White House on Wednesday when the president would lay out his vision for the office, just that it would not come during the National Prayer Breakfast.