ush administration officials have reached agreement with key lawmakers to move the president's stalled faith-based initiative to a full vote in the U.S. Senate.

   Earlier this week, Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) announced that she would "release her hold" on the bill, and withdraw a proposal that would have increased the amount of stock that corporations can donate to charitable groups, yet still control for voting purposes. This "safe harbor" limit is currently placed at 2 percent, but Lincoln wanted to raise that figure to 5 percent. The Washington Times reports that under her proposed compromise, any percentage of corporate stock could be donated to a faith-based or other charitable entity, but would then be reduced to a 2 percent limit within ten years.

   Critics said that the measure was designed to benefit large corporations such as the giant Wal-Mart chain. Even some within the Bush administration balked at the idea, with one unidentified source describing the amendment as a "corporate special interest provision that she's (Lincoln) trying to get passed.

   "It's something that helps out Wal-Mart," the source added, noting that the mega-retailer is based in Lincoln's home state of Arkansas.

   Corporations and share holders with large amounts of stock would reap enormous benefits from the plan, as would churches, mosques, temples and other faith-based social service providers. Companies may gain a tax incentive plus the publicity. Those holding stock could donate the instruments yet still maintain voting control over the shares at the corporate level. And faith-based foundations would profit from dividends, and possibly be able to use the stocks as collateral for borrowing.

   "The plan allows corporations to basically be able to have their cake and eat it too," said the unidentified Bush administration operative. "You already get a nice (tax) deduction, but you're also able to count (the stock) as part of your assets."

   Ms. Lincoln dismissed any criticism, saying "I can't understand why anybody's got a problem with it." She argued that her plan would benefit charitable groups, not corporations or wealthy investors.

   The compromise resonates with the mechanics of the latest faith-based initiative funding proposal, which relies heavily on corporate and private contributions to energize churches and other houses of worship operating social services. Supporters grudgingly admit that it is also the only way any legislation is going to clear the U.S. Senate. The House earlier approved HR 7, the "Community Solutions Act" which relied extensively on federal grants and other public funding sources under the rubric of "charitable choice," a provision in the 1996 welfare reform act permitting religious groups to compete for social service contracts. But concerns about everything from the constitutionality of the plan to whether groups accepting the funds could discriminate in hiring and other practices have divided the Senate.

   In February, faced with the prospect of the plan dying on Capitol Hill, the White House signed on to a compromise faith-based bill cobbled together by Sens. Rick Santorum (R-PA) and Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn.) The legislation dropped most of the "charitable choice" provisions found in measures like HR 7, and instead emphasized private and corporate philanthropic giving. Sections of the bill, however, call for up to $2 billion to "trickle down" to states and other granting agencies that could then hand the money over to churches and other religion-based providers.

   Other parts call for an aggressive government program to reach out to faith groups and train them in everything from incorporation to grant writing.

   While the White House is vigorously backing the scaled back faith-based legislation -- the "Charity Aid, Recovery and Empowerment Act of 2002, or S. 1924 -- other sources of funding are already being tapped.

   Earlier this month, the Bush administration ordered revision in grant rules for a number of major federal agencies which would make more public money available to churches and other houses of worship entering the social services arena. The federal White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives is also working closely with religion-based and "communitarian" groups at the local level to tap into state funded "partnerships" between churches and the public treasury.

   A defeat for CARE, though, could hold the line -- temporarily -- on the juggernaut to open vast sources of public money to faith-based social service providers. A vote on S.1924 could come as early as next week. Congress has set the beginning of October as a deadline for recess. Lawmakers will be returning to their home districts to stand in the November elections.

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