Chairman Scott Issues Statement at Hearing on Religious Freedom Restoration Act
"Seventy-eight years ago, today, President
"It is against this backdrop that we examine the challenge of protecting our civil rights while maintaining our fundamental commitment to religious liberty.
"Religious liberty is a fundamental American value. Our Founding Fathers knew from personal experience the dangers of governmental entanglement with religion. In 1779,
"The
"The First Amendment makes clear that all Americans have the right to practice the religion of their choice, or none at all, and reflects our country's commitment to separating religion from government, or 'church and state.'
"Religion has played a vital role in our nation's history. It has furthered social justice causes, such as the abolitionist movement, civil rights movement, and movement to end child labor.
"However, some have used religion as a pawn to justify slavery, Jim Crow, the slaughter of our native populations, and other horrific acts.
"In fact, when I was growing up, segregation was preached from the pulpit. Before the
"That was the basis for the original decision in Loving v. Virginia that was overturned by the
"In response,
"The passage of RFRA was meant to re-instate a broader protection of free exercise rights. It was not meant to erode civil rights under the guise of religious freedom. Importantly, it did not change the First Amendment's Establishment Clause, which ensures that the government cannot elevate certain religious or moral beliefs above the law.
"No sooner than RFRA was enacted, the floodgates began to open and RFRA has since been used to:
* Legitimize housing discrimination against single mothers and minorities,
* Shield church groups from paying child abuse victims, and
* Impose extreme emotional harm on schoolchildren based on their gender identity.
"Since the beginning of the Trump administration, this troublesome trend has only gotten worse. On
"That Executive Order directed Attorney General Sessions to issue guidance interpreting religious liberty protections in federal law. Instead, the Attorney General issued guidance following his own personal religious beliefs and without regard to other beliefs. The guidance has provided legal cover for the administration to permit - or even promote - government-sanctioned attacks on civil rights in employment, health care, foster care, and other areas, under the guise of religious liberty.
"These attacks are spreading. For example, the
"
"The Trump administration is misapplying RFRA when it allows federal funds to be used to discriminate against families when placing foster children and recently permitted a federally-funded organization in
"Finally, the
"These examples are just a few of the ways this Administration has twisted RFRA to threaten basic civil rights embedded in the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other protective laws.
"In other words, the path of religious exemptions we are on today not only strays from
"That responsibility falls on
"Specifically, the bill would prevent RFRA from being used to deny:
* Equal opportunity and protection against discriminatory laws;
* Workplace protections and protections against child abuse;
* Health care access, coverage, and services; and,
* Contracted services.
"I hope all of us here can agree that while religious liberty remains a fundamental value, it cannot and should not be used as a weapon to cause harm to others, but rather as a shield to protect the civil rights of people of all faiths, not just a favored few.
"I now recognize the distinguished Ranking Member for the purpose of making an opening statement."
[TheHill]
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