This year marks the 30th anniversary of the passage of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) and the 25th anniversary of the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA). These bipartisan pieces of legislation, signed into law by President Bill Clinton, have been integral to preserving religious liberty protections at home and abroad for the past three decades. Event Overview: This …
Why Does the Infrastructure Bill Include “Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity” Language?
The U.S. Senate’s consideration of the massive Infrastructure Bill (H.R. 3684) that the House passed back in early July is becoming a shameful exercise in legislative malpractice. This form of lawmaking is bad for our democracy and recklessly violates the Senate’s tradition of being the world’s greatest deliberative body.
The Equality Act Will Harm Religious Freedom
In an article in RealClearReligion, Thomas Farr, president of the Religious Freedom Institute, contends that the Equality Act will “harm one of the most fundamental rights we all share as Americans – religious freedom.”
Thomas Farr Gives Congressional Testimony on Advancing Human Rights to Combat Extremism
On Wednesday, December 6, Thomas Farr, President, Religious Freedom Institute, testified before Congress on the ways in which U.S. International Religious Freedom diplomacy can improve our nation’s ability to combat Islamist terror. In short: more religious freedom abroad can help prevent the rise of terrorism and protect Americans here at home. Full testimony: Employing Religious Freedom Diplomacy to Combat Extremism, Thomas …
RFI Calls for End to Ethnic and Religious Cleansing of Muslim Rohingya in Western Burma
Press Release September 15, 2017, Washington, D.C. (Religious Freedom Institute) — The Religious Freedom Institute calls on the United States and the international community to take immediate steps to stop the outrageous injustices the Burmese military is committing against the Muslim Rohingya and to ensure they are accorded their basic human rights, including their right to religious freedom. A brutal campaign of …
Press Release: State Department’s Latest International Religious Freedom Report Underscores Need for All-of-Government Strategy
Press Release August 15, 2017, Washington, D.C. (Religious Freedom Institute) — The Religious Freedom Institute welcomes the State Department’s 19th Annual Report on International Religious Freedom and applauds Secretary Tillerson and the Office of International Religious Freedom responsible for producing it. President of the Religious Freedom Institute Thomas Farr stated: “The Secretary correctly observed that growing religious persecution not only poses …
Press Release: RFI Welcomes Nomination of Governor Sam Brownback as Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom
Press Release July 27, 2017, Washington, D.C. (Religious Freedom Institute) — The Religious Freedom Institute applauds the nomination of Governor and former U.S. Senator Sam Brownback as U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, and calls upon the Senate to confirm him quickly. Governor Brownback’s wealth of experience, influence, and passion for religious liberty make him an outstanding choice to elevate international …
Press Release: Preserving Minorities and the Possibility for Stability in Iraq and Syria
Press Release Preserving Minorities and the Possibility for Stability in Iraq and Syria June 07, 2017, Washington, D.C.— In response to ISIS genocide against Christians, Yazidis and other minorities, the House of Representatives yesterday passed unanimously the Iraq and Syria Relief and Accountability Act (H.R. 390), co-authored by Republican Chris Smith and Democrat Anna Eshoo. The Religious Freedom Institute (RFI) …
Experts and Policy Makers Join to Launch Policy Brief for New Administration and Congress
On March 20, more than 110 lawmakers, congressional staffers, and religious freedom advocates gathered on Capitol Hill for the release of a new policy brief entitled: U.S. Foreign Policy And International Religious Freedom: Recommendations For The Trump Administration And U.S. Congress. A core group of Senators and Representatives gave their support for the recommendations which make the case that religious freedom …
The Fight for Religious Freedom Begins at Home
By Samuel Rodriguez
Not only has the 2016 presidential election polarized America on almost every major issue, it has also served as a source of hysteria. Each party—and those unaffiliated—views the opposing candidate’s win as disaster. If Hillary wins, it’s the end of American Christianity; if Trump wins, all Muslims will be excommunicated. It is in this moment, then, that I want to invite everyone to pause and just take a deep breath.
Tom Farr Led Broad Coalition to Condemn Government Sanctioned Discrimination
Thomas Farr, President of the Religious Freedom Institute, joined forces with a broad coalition of leaders from across the religious, ideological, and political spectrum to defend the right of all Americans to participate in the political life of their nation without being labeled – especially by their own government – as bigots because of their religious views. In a letter …
Tom Farr Congressional Testimony: Religious Freedom Under Siege
On July 12, Tom Farr testified before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on religious freedom under siege worldwide. In his testimony, Dr. Farr argued before the Congress that religious freedom stands at the core of what it means to be human. No person can live a fully human life with the right to seek God and to live in …
Congress Hits Refresh Button on U.S. International Religious Freedom Policy
By: Judd Birdsall
In May the House passed a bipartisan bill that would bring America’s global religious freedom advocacy into the twenty-first century. The Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act (H.R. 1150) provides a number of critical updates and upgrades to the existing International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) of 1998. The new bill—or Marco Rubio’s nearly identical Senate version (S. 2878)—merits the Senate’s prompt approval.