John Ashcroft

John Ashcroft was elected by Missouri voters to the U.S. Senate in 1994. He authored the “charitable choice” provision of the 1996 Welfare Reform Act that allowed state governments to utilize private religious organizations to administer and deliver public welfare services. In 1998 and again in 1999 Ashcroft introduced legislation that would apply a similar rule encouraging religious group participation in all government programs in which nongovernmental bodies are contracted to deliver federally-funded services, including drug abuse treatment, juvenile services, and public housing. The following viewpoint is taken from his May 7, 1998 speech in the Senate. Ashcroft praises the work of religious groups working with welfare recipients, and argues that cooperation between government and religious bodies is necessary to help solve America’s social ills. Ashcroft was appointed attorney general by President George...