NEW ORLEANS — President George W. Bush announced plans to expand the government's ability to fund social services through churches and other religious groups.

Speaking from a pulpit once used by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Bush made the announcement at Union Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church. He later flew to Atlanta to lay a wreath at King's grave on what would have been the slain civil-rights leader's 75th birthday.

"Dr. King understood that faith is power greater than all others," Bush said. "It's an important lesson for us to remember here in America that God's Word can humble the mighty, can lift up the meek, and can bring comfort and strength to all who yearn for justice and freedom. Those of us who are involved with public policy must not fear that philosophy as we all work together to save lives."

Associated Baptist Press reported the announcement is the latest in a long series of actions by the Bush administration to make it easier for explicitly religious charities to compete for government grants on the same basis as secular groups.

The new rules open $3.7 billion in federal funds to faith-based organizations for programs dealing with support for crime victims and preventing child abuse.

The initiative has been the centerpiece of Bush's domestic social agenda. Supporters maintain that faith-based groups are often more effective at providing social services than governmental or secular providers and should be funded by government.

Critics, meanwhile, contend that funding religious groups violates the U.S. Constitution's prohibition of government establishment of religion. Some say government encroachment on the freedom of religious groups will follow government funding and that some groups may be left out.

Bush, in his speech, argued that all religious groups can do work worthy of government support.

"Miracles happen as a result of the love of the Almighty, professed, by the way — taught, by the way — by religions from all walks of life, whether it be Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu — people who have heard that universal call to love a neighbor just like you'd like to be loved yourself," he said.