Chairman Goodlatte Statement on Religious Freedom Day
January 16, 2015
Washington, D.C. – House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) issued the following statement on Religious Freedom Day:
Chairman Goodlatte: “The United States has long stood for religious freedom in America and around the world. The principle of religious freedom is founded on the idea that all people deserve the freedom to live and work according to their religious beliefs without fear of persecution or discrimination. The First Amendment of the Constitution states that ‘Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.’ With these constitutional protections and with additional protections passed by Congress, the United States continues to serve as a global refuge for all.
“However, despite our nation’s legacy of protecting religious freedom, we still face challenges to religious liberty in the United States. As chairman of the Judiciary Committee, I am committed to conducting oversight of religious freedom infringements in the United States and upholding Americans’ free exercise protections enshrined in the First Amendment. Religious freedom is a fundamental human right essential to a free society and to who we are as Americans. This Congress, I intend to continue fighting to protect this right.”
Chairman Goodlatte: “The United States has long stood for religious freedom in America and around the world. The principle of religious freedom is founded on the idea that all people deserve the freedom to live and work according to their religious beliefs without fear of persecution or discrimination. The First Amendment of the Constitution states that ‘Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.’ With these constitutional protections and with additional protections passed by Congress, the United States continues to serve as a global refuge for all.
“However, despite our nation’s legacy of protecting religious freedom, we still face challenges to religious liberty in the United States. As chairman of the Judiciary Committee, I am committed to conducting oversight of religious freedom infringements in the United States and upholding Americans’ free exercise protections enshrined in the First Amendment. Religious freedom is a fundamental human right essential to a free society and to who we are as Americans. This Congress, I intend to continue fighting to protect this right.”