,,iii #aah? ,,congress #a/ ,session ,s4 ,,con4 ,,res4 #c ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,! ,,unit$ ,,/ates ,febru>y #a1 #bjbc,mr4 ,da9es 7= himself1 ,mrs4 ,hyde-,smi?1 ,mr4 ,lank=d1 ,mr4 ,braun1 ,mr4 ,rubio1 ,mr4 ,cotton1 ,mr4 ,scott ( ,florida1 ,mr4 ,ris*1 ,mr4 ,?une1 ,mr4 ,tillis1 ,mr4 ,hoev51 ,mr4 ,cram]1 ,mrs4 ,blackburn1 ,mr4 ,wick]1 ,mr4 ,hawley1 ,mr4 ,cruz1 & ,mr4 ,lee7 submitt$ ! foll[+ concurr5t resolution2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ! ,judici>y ,,concurr5t ,,resolution ,affirm+ ! importance ( religi\s fre$om z a fundam5tal human "r t is ess5tial to a free society & protect$ = all p ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates "u ! ,con/itution ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 & recogniz+ ! #bcg? anniv]s>y ( ! enactm5t ( ! ,virg9ia ,/atute = ,religi\s ,fre$om4 ,:]eas ! democracy ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates is root$ 9 ! fundam5tal tru? t all p are creat$ equal1 end[$ by ! ,creator ) c]ta9 inali5able rights1 includ+ life1 lib]ty1 & ! pursuit ( happ9ess2 ,:]eas ! fre$om ( consci5ce 0 highly valu$ by-- 7#a7 individuals seek+ religi\s fre$om :o settl$ 9 ! colonies 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates2 7#b7 ! f\nd]s ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates2 & 7#c7 ,?omas ,jeff]son1 :o wrote 9 a lett] to ! ,society ( ! ,me?odi/ ,episcopal ,*ur* at ,new ,london1 ,connecticut1 dat$ ,febru>y #d1 #ahji1 t no provision 9 our ,con/itution ought to be de>] to man ?an t :i* protects ! rights ( consci5ce aga9/ ! ent]prizes ( ! civil au?ority2 ,:]eas ! ,virg9ia ,/atute = ,religi\s ,fre$om 0-- 7#a7 draft$ by ,?omas ,jeff]son1 :o consid]$ ! ,virg9ia ,/atute = ,religi\s ,fre$om to be "o ( 8 greate/ a*ievem5ts2 7#b7 enact$ on ,janu>y #af1 #aghf2 & 7#c7 ! =]unn] to ! ,free ,ex]cise ,clause ( ! ,fir/ ,am5dm5t to ! ,con/itution ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates2 ,:]eas section #b7;a7 ( ! ,int]national ,religi\s ,fre$om ,act ( #aiih 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #fdja7;a77 /ates t-- 7#a7 the "r to fre$om ( religion und]girds ! v orig9 & exi/5ce ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates2 & 7#b7 religi\s fre$om 0 e/abli%$ by ! f\nd]s ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates 9 law1 z a fundam5tal "r & z a pill> ( our ,nation2 ,:]eas ! role ( religion 9 society & public life 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates has a long & robu/ tradition2 ,:]eas individuals :o h /udi$ ! democracy ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates f an int]national p]spective1 su* z ,alexis de ,tocqueville1 h not$ t religion plays a c5tral role 9 pres]v+ ! ,gov]nm5t ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates because religion provides ! moral base requir$ = democracy to succe$2 ,:]eas1 9 ,t[n ( ,greece v4 ,gall[ay1 #egb ,u4,s4 #efe 7#bjad71 ! ,supreme ,c\rt ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates affirm$ t p ( _m fai?s may be unit$ 9 a community ( tol]ance & devotion2 ,:]eas ! pr9ciple ( religi\s fre$om has guid$ our ,nation =w>d1 z express$ by ! #dd? ,presid5t ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates 9 a ,presid5tial proclamation on ,religi\s ,fre$om ,day 9 #bjaa1 & fre$om ( religion is a univ]sal human "r to be protect$ "h at home & across ! globe1 z express$ by t ,presid5t ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates on ,religi\s ,fre$om ,day 9 #bjac2 ,:]eas fre$om ( religion is a fundam5tal human "r t mu/ be upheld by e nation & gu>ante$ by e gov]nm5t1 z express$ by ! #dbnd ,presid5t ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates 9 a ,presid5tial proclamation on ,religi\s ,fre$om ,day 9 #aiii2 ,:]eas ! ,fir/ ,am5dm5t to ! ,con/itution ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates protects-- 7#a7 ! "r ( individuals to freely express & act on ! religi\s beliefs ( ^? individuals2 & 7#b7 individuals f co]cion to pr(ess or act on a religi\s belief to :i* ^? individuals d n adh]e2 ,:]eas our laws & in/itutions %\ld n imp$e or h9d] b r %\ld protect & pres]ve fundam5tal religi\s lib]ties1 z express$ by ! #dbnd ,presid5t ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates 9 rem>ks accompany+ ! sign+ ( ! ,religi\s ,fre$om ,re/oration ,act ( #aiic 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bjjj;bb et seq472 ,:]eas1 = c\ntless p ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 fai? is an integral "p ( e aspect ( daily life & is n limit$ to ! homes1 h\ses ( wor%ip1 or doctr9al cre$s ( ^? individuals2 ,:]eas religi\s fai? has inspir$ _m ( our fell[ citiz5s to help build a bett] ,nation 9 :i* p ( fai? cont9ue to wage a det]m9$ campaign to meet ne$s & fight suff]+1 z express$ by ! #dcrd ,presid5t ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates 9 a ,presid5tial proclamation on ,religi\s ,fre$om ,day 9 #bjjc2 ,:]eas1 from its bir? to ?is day1 ! ,unit$ ,/ates has priz$ ?is legacy ( religi\s fre$om & honor$ ?is h]itage by /&+ = religi\s fre$om & (f]+ refuge to ^? suff]+ religi\s p]secution1 z not$ 9 section #b7;a7 ( ! ,int]national ,religi\s ,fre$om ,act ( #aiih 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #fdja7;a772 ,:]eas ,?omas ,jeff]son wrote-- 7#a7 9 #agih t ea* "r encompass$ 9 ! ,fir/ ,am5dm5t to ! ,con/itution ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates is dep5d5t on ! o!r rights describ$ 9 t ,am5dm5t1 !reby gu>d+ 9 ! same s5t5ce1 & "u ! same words1 ! fre$om ( religion1 ( spee*1 & ( ! press3 insomu*1 t :atev] violat$ ei!r1 ?r[s d[n ! sanctu>y :i* cov]s ! o!rs2 & 7#b7 9 #ahbb t ! con/itutional fre$om ( religion is ! mo/ inali5able & sacr$ ( all human rights2 ,:]eas religi\s fre$om has be5 integral to ! pres]vation & developm5t ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 & ! free ex]cise ( religion goes h& 9 h& ) ! pres]vation ( our o!r rights1 z express$ by ! #da/ ,presid5t ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates 9 a ,presid5tial proclamation on ,religi\s ,fre$om ,day 9 #aiic2 & ,:]eas we cont9ue to proclaim ! fundam5tal "r ( all peoples to believe & wor%ip accord+ to _! own consci5ce1 to affirm _! beliefs op5ly & freely1 & to practice _! fai? )\t fe> or intimidation1 z express$ by ! #dbnd ,presid5t ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates 9 a ,presid5tial proclamation on ,religi\s ,fre$om ,day 9 #aiih3 ,n[1 !re=e1 be x ,t ,congress-- 7#a7 on ,religi\s ,fre$om ,day on ,janu>y #af1 #bjbc1 honors ! #bcg? anniv]s>y ( ! enactm5t ( ! ,virg9ia ,/atute = ,religi\s ,fre$om2 & 7#b7 affirms t-- 7,a7 = individuals ( any fai? & individuals ( no fai?1 religi\s fre$om includes ! "r ( an individual to live1 "w1 associate1 & wor%ip 9 accordance ) ! beliefs ( ! individual2 7,b7 all p ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates c be unifi$ 9 support+ religi\s fre$om1 reg>dless ( diff]+ individual beliefs1 because religi\s fre$om is a fundam5tal human "r2 & 7,c7 ! ,am]ican p w rema9 =ev] un%ackl$ 9 matt]s ( fai?1 z express$ by ! #dd? ,presid5t ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates 9 a ,presid5tial proclamation on ,religi\s ,fre$om ,day 9 #bjab4