"Humanists will never accept the Bush administration's regular displays of contempt for religious liberty," said Tony Hileman, executive director of the American Humanist Association. "We are especially dismayed to learn of President Bush's strong-armed tactics so close to the anniversary of the historic Supreme Court decision, Abington Township v. Schempp."

In the case, the family of AHA member Ellery Schempp filed suit in 1956 against Abington High School. The then 16-year old Schempp refused to participate in mandatory morning Bible readings and school prayer, claiming that those practices had no place in public schools because they violated the separation of church and state. The Supreme Court concurred in an 8-1 decision on June 17, 1963.

The current issue of Christianity Today reports that the Bush administration has devised a strategy to use executive orders in order to circumvent restrictions imposed by the Senate on his faith-based initiatives, known as the Charity Aid, Recovery, and Empowerment Act (CARE). Bush already issued one such order in December 2002 allowing direct federal support for religious groups.

"It is incredible that Bush is announcing his administration's intentions to bypass and, if necessary, override Congress in order to enact of the sectarian provisions of his faith-based agenda. This will thwart the decisions of our elected representatives who stripped Bush's legislation of the most sectarian provisions, including those allowing faith-based groups to reject job applicants based on their religious faith," continued Hileman.

Hileman concluded, "With his actions, he blithely disregards the separation of church and state, which it should be added, has served this country quite well for over two centuries. Humanists and all who support religious freedom are justifiably outraged."