Committee Democrats Release New Report Documenting Weaponization of Religious Freedom in Federal Policy at Expense of Americans' Civil Rights

Press Release

Today, Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) released a new report--Religious Liberty? The History of Religious Liberty in Federal Policy from 1990 to 2022--that examines how, in recent decades, the federal government has advanced religious freedom interests at the expense of others' civil rights and access to critical services.

"The balance between protecting religious liberty--a fundamental American value--and protecting the civil rights of others has been essential to our democracy since its earliest stages. In fact, over two centuries ago, the Virginia General Assembly adopted the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom--the precursor to the First Amendment--which states that "our civil rights have no dependence on our religious opinions any more than our opinions in physics or geometry.' That notion holds true today," said Ranking Member Scott.

"Regrettably, religious freedom has been repeatedly used--not as a shield--but as a sword to inflict harm on others and violate their civil rights. This report provides a broad overview of how the federal government in the last few decades has used executive, administrative, and legislative actions to advance the religious freedom interests of some Americans in a manner that sometimes infringes on the rights and interests of others, such as civil rights protections, access to social safety net programs and health care services. In doing so, this report outlines the troubling trajectory from the 1990s to today that moved the country from protecting the victims of discrimination to protecting the perpetrators of discrimination."

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