This article is the first in CPJ’s Ink & Impact series featuring young writers from across the country. In today’s political climate, often marked by cynicism and despair, CPJ’s annual Ink & Impact conference helps Christian young people become messengers of hope. In a world dominated by digital distractions, Ink & Impact develops writers who can articulate complex political topics in an approachable, nuanced way to inform the public. The views and opinions reflected in these articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official position of CPJ.  Cheers from onlookers swept upward on the crisp October […]

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has proposed an expansive redesign of the federal grantmaking process, revisions the Trump administration believes will improve government-wide policies for grants, cooperative agreements, and other assistance, with aims including transparency, accountability, oversight, equal opportunity, and reduced burden. The changes would eliminate progressive mandates added by the Biden administration. They would also greatly increase political appointees’ control of the process and of the awards. Grantmaking would become more like contracting—and less like creating partnerships. The extensive fraud and waste uncovered in federal funding, and administrators’ insistence on nonstatutory grant requirements, do call for major reform. […]

In March, Congressman Blake Moore introduced the Fair Treatment of Religious Organizations Act, legislation designed to protect religious organizations from losing their tax-exempt status or access to federal funding because of their religious beliefs or practices regarding marriage and sexuality. Whether or not the bill advances in the current Congress, it raises an important question for those who care about institutional religious freedom: What obligations does government have toward religious organizations in a pluralistic society? At the Center for Public Justice, we have long argued that religious freedom is not merely a protection for individuals worshipping in private. It is also […]

Companion Article: Three Things Religious Institutions Should Know About ED’s Proposed Higher Education Rule Many Americans can probably remember moments in high school when teachers or counselors encouraged students to think seriously about future careers by discussing average salaries and earning potential. I remember those conversations well. Engineers, physicians, and other technical professions were often presented as among the most financially rewarding and stable paths a student could pursue. Those conversations were not inherently wrong. Financial stability matters. Students should thoughtfully consider the practical realities connected to career decisions and educational debt. Yet even as a student, I remember finding those […]

Companion Article: What Is Religious Higher Education For? The U.S. Department of Education recently released a proposed rule intended to increase accountability and transparency in higher education through new earnings-based standards tied to Direct Loan and Title IV federal student aid eligibility. The Center for Public Justice (CPJ) recently submitted public comments on the proposed rule, expressing support for accountability measures while also raising concerns about the rule’s disproportionate impact on religious higher education institutions. Here are three key concerns religious institutions and faith-based stakeholders should understand about the proposal: 1. The Rule Disproportionately Impacts Religious Degree Programs At the center […]