HRES 1416

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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

September 30, 2022

Mr. Grothman (for himself and Mrs. Miller of Illinois) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

RESOLUTION

Condemning the growing hostility towards Christians and individuals of faith in the United States.

Whereas our Founding Fathers recognized the right to practice one’s faith, including—

(1) George Washington who stated that “the liberty enjoyed by the people of these States, of worshiping Almighty God agreeably to their consciences, is not only among the choicest of their blessings, but also of their rights”; and

(2) James Madison who stated that the free exercise of religion “is in its nature an unalienable right”;

Whereas religion and its moral basis is fundamental to the success of our republic, which was recognized by our Founding Fathers, including John Adams who stated that “our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people”; Whereas religious liberty for all Americans is guaranteed in the First Amendment to the Constitution, which states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof”; Whereas Article VI of the Constitution prohibits religious tests for individuals seeking any office or public trust under the United States; Whereas the bipartisan Religious Freedom Restoration Act prohibits the Federal Government from substantially burdening the exercise of religion, unless the Federal Government can demonstrate that such a burden is the least restrictive means of achieving a compelling government interest; Whereas hostility towards Christians and individuals of faith in the United States is prevalent in modern American culture and governmental institutions; Whereas prominent Christian leaders have expressed concern about growing hostility towards Christians in the United States, including—

(1) Pastor Andrew Brunson who stated that “persecution is still coming and it’s coming quickly and it’s coming soon” and recognized “the hostility that’s rising in our society toward followers of Jesus”; and

(2) Franklin Graham has stated that “hostility toward Christians in the United States is on the rise and will grow unless we stand up for our freedoms of religion and conscience”;

Whereas sitting Senators and then-Senator Kamala Harris have questioned the sincerely held religious beliefs of presidential appointees in their Senate confirmation hearings, in violation of Article VI of the Constitution; Whereas sexual orientation and gender identity laws suppress individuals of faith and their ability to freely exercise their religion; Whereas bakers, photographers, florists, and other artists have been subject to legal action because of their sincerely-held religious beliefs on marriage, sexuality, and gender; Whereas social media platforms have censored Christians and individuals of faith for expressing their sincerely-held religious beliefs on marriage, sexuality, and gender; Whereas Christians have been suspended from school, suspended from their jobs, and fired from their jobs because of their sincerely-held religious beliefs on marriage; Whereas Christians have been targeted for prayer in the public square, including at public schools and public meetings; Whereas Christian students have been told by public school teachers that they may not read the Bible during class reading time; Whereas the age at which sex education is taught in public schools and the content of such programs, including redefined views of abstinence, contraceptives, sexual orientation, and gender identity display a hatred towards Christian and other faith-based beliefs on sex, sexuality, gender, and marriage; Whereas during the COVID-19 pandemic, Christian pastors were arrested for holding worship services, churches were fined for holding worship services, and local governments shut down in-person and drive-in worship services while many secular establishments could continue operations; Whereas several Federal agencies under the Biden administration have attempted to track Federal employees that have requested religious exemptions from vaccine mandates; Whereas the Biden administration’s Department of Health and Human Services rescinded the Office of Civil Rights’ authority to enforce conscience and religious freedom protections under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and the First Amendment; Whereas the Biden administration has pushed a radical LGBTQ+ agenda abroad and sought to expand abortion worldwide, including in countries with strong religious and moral values; Whereas through attempts to dismantle the Hyde Amendment, the Biden administration and Democratic Members of Congress are seeking to force all Americans to pay for abortions despite their sincerely held religious beliefs on life; Whereas 219 Democratic Members of Congress voted in favor of H.R. 8296, the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would impose abortion on-demand until birth nationwide and override State and Federal conscience protection laws, including the Religious Freedom Restoration Act; Whereas Democratic efforts to pass a Federal law imposing abortion on-demand until birth and fund abortions at Federal taxpayer expense are an attack on Christians and other religious Americans that hold religious beliefs on life; Whereas mainstream media outlets have vilified certain Christian Americans, including those that recognize the role Christianity has played in the founding and success of our republic, as threats to democracy; and Whereas dozens of churches have been attacked since the May 2, 2022, leak of the Supreme Court’s draft opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives—

(1) condemns the growing hostility towards Christians and individuals of faith in the United States perpetrated by government agencies, public officials, educational institutions, social media platforms, and the media;

(2) opposes the advancement of sexual orientation and gender identity laws, regulations, and policies that suppress Americans’ ability to freely exercise their religion;

(3) affirms its commitment to upholding religious liberty for all Americans, as guaranteed by the Constitution;

(4) calls on the President of the United States to affirm his commitment to upholding religious liberty and conscience rights for all Americans, as guaranteed by the Constitution and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, and refrain from taking actions inconsistent with the Constitution and Religious Freedom Restoration Act; and

(5) calls on State and local governments to uphold religious liberty and overturn laws, including sexual orientation and gender identity laws, that impact Americans’ ability to freely exercise their religion. <all>