    [United States Statutes at Large, Volume 134, 116th Congress, 2nd Session]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    Proclamation 9976 of January 15, 2020
    Religious Freedom Day, 2020
    By the President of the United States of America
    A Proclamation
    From its opening pages, the story of America has been rooted in the
    truth that all men and women are endowed with the right to follow their
    conscience, worship freely, and live in accordance with their
    convictions. On Religious Freedom Day, we honor the foundational link
    between freedom and faith in our country and reaffirm our commitment to
    safeguarding the religious liberty of all Americans.
    Religious freedom in America, often referred to as our ``first
    freedom,''; was a driving force behind some of the earliest defining
    moments of our American identity. The desire for religious freedom
    impelled the Pilgrims to leave their homes in Europe and journey to a
    distant land, and it is the reason so many others seeking to live out
    their faith or change their faith have made America their home.
    More than 230 years ago, the Virginia General Assembly passed the
    Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, which was authored and
    championed by Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson famously expounded that ``all
    men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their
    opinions in matters of Religion, and that the same shall in no wise
    diminish, enlarge or affect their civil capacities.''; This statute
    served as the catalyst for the First Amendment, which enshrined in law
    our conviction to prevent government interference in religion. More than
    200 years later, thanks to the power of that Amendment, America is one
    of the most religiously diverse nations in the world.
    Since I took office, my Administration has been committed to protecting
    religious liberty. In May 2017, I signed an Executive Order to advance
    religious freedom for individuals and institutions, and I stopped the
    Johnson Amendment from interfering with pastors' right to speak their
    minds. Over the last 3 years, the Department of Justice has obtained 14
    convictions in cases involving attacks or threats against places of
    worship. To fight the rise of anti-Semitism in our country, I signed an
    Executive Order last month to ensure that Federal agencies are using
    nondiscrimination authorities to combat this venomous bigotry. I have
    also made clear that my Administration will not tolerate the violation
    of any American's ability to worship freely and openly and to live as
    his or her faith commands.
    My Administration also remains cognizant of the stark realities for
    people seeking religious liberty abroad and has made protecting
    religious minorities a core pillar of my Administration's foreign
    policy. Repressive governments persecute religious worshipers using
    high-tech surveillance, mass detention, and torture, while terrorist
    organizations carry out barbaric violence against innocent victims on
    account of their religion. To cast a light on these abuses, in July
    2019, I welcomed survivors of religious persecution from 16 countries
    into the Oval Office. These survivors included Christians, Jews, and
    Muslims, who all shared similar stories of persecution. At the United
    Nations in September, I called on global leaders to take concrete steps
    to prevent state and non-state actors from attacking citizens for their
    beliefs and to help ensure the sanctity and safety of places of worship.
    And, last summer,

    [[Page 5154]]

    the State Department convened its second Ministerial to Advance
    Religious Freedom, where our diplomats engaged a broad range of
    stakeholders in government and civil society, both religious and
    secular, to identify concrete ways to combat religious persecution and
    discrimination around the world and ensure greater respect for freedom
    of religion and belief.
    On this Religious Freedom Day, we reaffirm our commitment to protecting
    the precious and fundamental right of religious freedom, both at home
    and abroad. Our Founders entrusted the American people with a
    responsibility to protect religious liberty so that our Nation may stand
    as a bright beacon for the rest of the world. Today, we remain committed
    to that sacred endeavor and strive to support those around the world who
    still struggle under oppressive regimes that impose restrictions on
    freedom of religion.
    NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of
    America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
    the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim January 16, 2020, as
    Religious Freedom Day. I call on all Americans to commemorate this day
    with events and activities that remind us of our shared heritage of
    religious liberty and that teach us how to secure this blessing both at
    home and around the world.
    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fifteenth day of
    January, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty, and of the
    Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-
    fourth.
    DONALD J. TRUMP