According to the Roundtable on Religion: The question of whether Congress should expand laws to allow publicly-funded faith-based organization to employ staff based on their religious beliefs was once again brought to the front burner last week, producing a heated debate and legislative wrangling. This time the battle was tied to the Second Chance Act, a prisoner re-entry initiative that had been carefully crafted by both Democrats and Republicans to be absent any mention of religious hiring or faith-based organizations for fear it would kill the bill. But as the House Judiciary Committee considered the measure, new voices on both sides were heard in a fray that has continued to rise in pitch ever since President George W. Bush included religious hiring rights as part of his Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. Following three hours of debate -- during which Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) attempted eight times to insert the words "faith-based and other community organizations" into the bill to specify grant recipients -- the Committee approved the legislation without the mention of religious organizations, hiring provisions or proselytizing by religious groups.