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WATCH: Republican Leader Foxx Rips Democrats' Attacks on Religious Liberty

Today, Republican Leader of the Education and Labor Committee, Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), delivered the following remarks defending religious freedom and the First Amendment:
  

              To watch Republican Leader Virginia Foxx's remarks, click here.

I must be honest, today’s proceedings have disheartened me. It’s one thing as politicians for us to debate and disagree on issue areas and ideas for how best to move the country forward; in fact, that’s the beauty of this nation’s political process, thanks to our freedom of speech and expression. But it’s a whole different ball game when the issue being debated is the First Amendment of the United States Constitution itself.

We are discussing a bill today with a title dripping with irony. “Do no harm” is a preposterous name for a bill that not only directly violates the First Amendment and Americans’ freedom of religion, but also blatantly picks winners and losers among Americans of faith. The Do No Harm Act undermines a law that has served to protect Americans from religious discrimination for 25 years. RFRA is not about protecting certain religious groups over others. RFRA applies to all religious faiths, including minority religions.  It’s a balancing test to ensure a fair day in court. We are entering treacherous waters by considering legislation that stifles proven, bipartisan solutions and, more seriously, our Bill of Rights.

It’s outrageous that Democrats are advertising this legislation as guaranteeing fundamental civil and legal rights, when it dramatically attacks those same rights for people with religious convictions. We have a responsibility as lawmakers to defend and protect the United States Constitution and the American people above all else. The bill discussed here today is not only outside the bounds of responsible legislating and mainstream views about religious freedom, it is also outside of the jurisdiction of this committee.  Our time today would have been better spent discussing legislation on which our committee could actually vote. But if any good was accomplished here, it’s that citizens of faith have been alerted. Those who cherish religious freedom have noted that elections have consequences, and those consequences are being manifested in today’s hearing.

This hearing was intended to review the “misapplication of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.”  In reality, it misapplies our role as legislators, tasked with protecting the Constitution, by stripping citizens of their fundamental rights.  Nevertheless, Committee Republicans will continue to stand up for religious freedom and oppose policies that disrespect and diminish the faith of any American.
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