FREEDOM OF RELIGION

Addresses

Protect Religious Freedom: Representative Wolf, E1745–E1747 [21NO]

——— Timothy M. Dolan, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, E1658 [14NO]

Articles and editorials

One Christian Killed Every 11 Minutes—UK Parliament Is Told Christianity Is ‘‘Most Persecuted Religion’’ (excerpt), H7563 [5DE]

Pentagon Confirms May Court Martial Soldiers Who Share Christian Faith (excerpt), H2425 [6MY]

Persecution of Christians in the Middle East (excerpt), H7563 [5DE]

Religious Battle Lines (excerpt), H2426 [6MY]

Bills and resolutions

Arab countries: call for protection of religious minority rights and freedoms and urge repeal of blasphemy laws (see S. Res. 69), S1270 [7MR] (see H. Res. 106), H1357 [12MR]

Armed Forces: ensure every military chaplain has the prerogative to close a prayer outside of a religious service according to the dictates of the chaplain’s own conscience (see H.R. 343), H222 [22JA]

——— ensure repeal of ‘‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’’ does not infringe upon the free exercise of religion and rights of conscience of members, including chaplains (see H.R. 914), H815 [28FE]

China: call for an end to organ harvesting from prisoners, investigate organ transplant practices, end persecution of the Falun Gong, and issue warnings to U.S. citizens about organ transplant practices (see H. Res. 281), H4143 [27JN]

——— recognize anniversary of Tiananmen Square massacre, condemn continued persecution of political dissent and religious minorities, and release political prisoners, including Wang Bingzhang (see H. Res. 245), H3095 [4JN]

Dept. of State: list Vietnam as a ‘‘Country of Particular Concern’’ relative to religious freedom (see H. Res. 218), H2717 [16MY]

Dept. of the Interior: conduct a special resource study of sites associated with the 1657 signing of the Flushing Remonstrance in Queens, NY (see H.R. 3222), H6052 [30SE]

Federal agencies and departments: prohibit the revocation or withholding of Federal funds to programs whose participants carry out voluntary religious activities (see S. 1279), S5667 [11JY] (see H.R. 2926), H5342 [1AU]

India: praise religious diversity and commitment to tolerance and equality, and reaffirm need to protect the rights and freedoms of religious minorities (see H. Res. 417), H7187 [18NO]

Indonesia: allow Indonesian citizens fleeing religious persecution to file a motion to reopen their asylum claims (see S. 295), S707 [13FE] (see H.R. 665), H501 [13FE]

Iran: observe Nowruz, the Iranian New Year, acknowledge the Cyrus Cylinder as a symbol of respect for human rights and religious tolerance, and recognize U.S. tour of the Cyrus Cylinder (see H. Res. 130), H1719 [20MR]

——— prevent acquisition of nuclear weapons, dismantle production facilities, allow inspections, suspend support for terrorists and Syria, reduce human rights violations, and allow additional sanctions (see H. Res. 445), H8109 [12DE]

Monuments and memorials: ensure that memorials commemorating the service of the U.S. Armed Forces may contain religious symbols (see S. 705), S2589 [11AP]

Prayer: constitutional amendment clarifying that the Constitution neither prohibits voluntary prayer nor requires prayer in schools (see H.J. Res. 42), H2393 [26AP]

Schneier, Arthur: award Congressional Gold Medal (see H.R. 2387), H3653 [14JN]

Schools: express support for prayer at school board meetings (see S. Res. 11), S214 [23JA] (see H. Res. 250), H3251 [6JN]

Taxation: establish Religious Freedom Peace Tax Fund to receive payments of taxpayers conscientiously opposed to war, ensure that such revenue is used for non-military purposes, and improve revenue collection (see H.R. 2483), H4037 [25JN]

Turkey: urge reopening of the Ecumenical Patriarchate Theological School of Halki without condition or further delay (see H. Res. 188), H2393 [26AP]

——— urge respect for the rights and religious freedoms of the Ecumenical Patriarchate (see H. Res. 136), H1825 [21MR]

Vietnam: impose sanctions on individuals who are complicit in human rights abuses against nationals of Vietnam or their families (see S. 929), S3326 [9MY]

——— promote freedom and democracy (see S. 1649), S7829 [5NO] (see H.R. 1897), H2533 [8MY]

Remarks in House

Armed Forces: ensure every military chaplain has the prerogative to close a prayer outside of a religious service according to the dictates of the chaplain’s own conscience, E1725 [21NO]

——— ensure free exercise of religion, H2639 [15MY], H4588 [17JY], H5421, H5423 [9SE], H7097–H7103 [14NO], E1273 [10SE]

——— ensure repeal of ‘‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’’ does not infringe upon the free exercise of religion and rights of conscience of members, including chaplains, H5410 [9SE]

China: human rights violations, E818 [6JN]

Congress: express importance of prayer in resolving Government shutdown, H6464 [10OC]

Constitution—U.S.: history and explanation of ‘‘separation of church and State’’, H2382 [26AP]

Dept. of Defense: reevaluate relationship with anti-religion activist Mikey Weinstein, H4011 [25JN]

——— submit report to Congress on meetings between employees and civilians relative to developing military policy on religious liberty, H3531 [13JN]

——— support religious freedom of servicemembers, E1714 [20NO]

Dept. of Homeland Security: prohibit funding to be used in contravention of First, Second, or Fourth Amendments to the Constitution, H3192 [5JN], E873–E875 [14JN], E900 [17JN]

Dept. of State: list Vietnam as a ‘‘Country of Particular Concern’’ relative to religious freedom (H. Res. 218), E1037 [10JY]

Dept. of the Interior: conduct a special resource study of sites associated with the 1657 signing of the Flushing Remonstrance in Queens, NY (H.R. 3222), H7610 [10DE]

Egypt: religious persecution of Christians, H6913 [30OC]

Ensure, H2425 [6MY], H7034–H7036 [13NO]

FBI: national security impact of efforts to combat anti-Muslim rhetoric, H2383–H2385 [26AP], H2769–H2771 [17MY]

India: praise religious diversity and commitment to tolerance and equality, and reaffirm need to protect the rights and freedoms of religious minorities (H. Res. 417), E1817 [9DE]

Indonesia: allow Indonesian citizens fleeing religious persecution to file a motion to reopen their asylum claims (H.R. 665), E136 [13FE]

National Day of Reason: observance, E545 [25AP], E588 [3MY]

Pakistan: call for protection of religious minority rights and freedoms, H7009 [13NO]

——— prohibit funding for purposes of domestic repression of ethnic and religious minorities, E885 [17JN]

Religion: address global persecution of Christians, H7562–H7565 [5DE], H7674 [11DE]

——— reaffirm importance of religion, H3649 [14JN]

——— reaffirm importance of religion and freedom to exercise beliefs peacefully, H328–H333 [4FE], H1902–H1904 [10AP], H5419–H5425 [9SE]

Schneier, Arthur: award Congressional Gold Medal (H.R. 2387), E886 [17JN]

Schools: express support for prayer at school graduations, H6466 [10OC]

Supreme Court: hearing of arguments in Town of Greece, NY, v. Galloway relative to constitutionality of legislative prayer practice to open town meetings, H5410 [9SE]

Turkey: urge respect for the rights and religious freedoms of the Ecumenical Patriarchate (H. Res. 136), E359 [21MR]

Vietnam: promote freedom and democracy (H.R. 1897), H5249–H5254 [31JY], E815 [6JN]

Remarks in Senate

China: human rights violations, S4353 [12JN]

——— recognize plight of Tibetan people and call for an effort to bring about a durable and peaceful solution to the Tibet issue, S1888 [18MR]

Employment: prevent government from penalizing religious employers that are exempt from prohibitions on employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, S7846–S7849, S7862, S7863 [6NO], S7904, S7906 [7NO]

Texts of

H.R. 1897, Vietnam Human Rights Act, H5249–H5251 [31JY]

S. 929, Vietnam Human Rights Sanctions Act, S3341 [9MY]

S. Res. 11, express support for prayer at school board meetings, S226 [23JA]

S. Res. 69, call for protection of religious minority rights and freedoms and urge repeal of blasphemy laws in Arab countries, S1271 [7MR]