Government to Pay Pastor Salaries in $350 Billion Small Business Aid Package | American Atheists

Today, the religious equality watchdog organization American Atheists denounced the Small Business Administration (SBA)’s recently released regulations and guidance on the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act as an unconstitutional giveaway to houses of worship that is ripe for abuse. These news rules give houses of worship access to $350 billion in federal money from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to fund religious activities, including paying clergy salaries, rent, and utilities. Longstanding SBA regulations have prevented “businesses principally engaged in teaching, instructing, counselling or indoctrinating religion or religious beliefs, whether in a religious or secular setting” from receiving business or economic disaster loans. However, with its news guidance, SBA indicates that it “will decline to enforce these subsections.” https://www.atheists.org/2020/04/churches-preference-small-business-aid-package/