THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, October 19, 1995 TAG: 9510190426
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: D1 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Daily Digest
LENGTH: Short : 25 lines
Two women who were denied loans by the Small Business Administration for ventures involving religious enterprises filed lawsuits Wednesday accusing the agency of violating their constitutional rights. The American Center for Law and Justice, founded by Pat Robertson in 1990, is representing the women. The SBA said it stands by its policy of keeping church and state separate. Jay Sekulow, chief counsel for the center, said that policy is unconstitutional and discriminatory. ``We want this whole policy declared unconstitutional,'' he said from his office in Virginia Beach. ``This regulation treats Christian business owners as second-class citizens.'' Sekulow said the lawsuits are not aimed at collecting punitive damages from the agency, but at rewriting its policy on funding religious ventures. (AP) by CNB