Following Hurricane Helene’s catastrophic damage throughout Florida’s gulf coast, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) met with the Florida Farm Bureau as well as local agricultural producers, farmers, and growers to discuss the storm’s impact. Photos are courtesy of...
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Following Hurricane Helene’s catastrophic damage throughout Florida’s Gulf Coast, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) met with local officials and volunteers from the barrier islands to discuss the storm’s impact and current recovery efforts. Photos are courtesy of...
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Rubio Joins Scott, Colleagues in Resolution Defending Right to Freely Exercise Religion
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) joined Rick Scott (R-FL) and Senate colleagues in introducing a resolution defending the right to freely exercise one’s religion, as protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.
In addition to Rubio and Scott, Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC), Roger Wicker (R-MS), John Boozman (R-AR), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), David Perdue (R-GA), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Tom Cotton (R-AR), John Hoeven (R-ND), Mike Braun (R-IN), Kelly Loeffler (R-GA), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), and James Lankford (R-OK) cosponsored the resolution, which is supported by the Family Research Council and Alliance Defending Freedom.
The full text of the resolution is below.
Whereas the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States clearly, plainly, and unequivocally states that ‘‘Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof’’;
Whereas the constitutional protection of this bedrock principle of religious liberty was extended to the actions of the several States through the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States;
Whereas, despite the clear prohibition against laws infringing upon the free exercise of religion, houses of worship and religious organizations have been frequent targets of asymmetric restrictions by State and local government officials during the coronavirus pandemic;
Whereas irrespective of compliance with mask mandates, social distancing, and other protective measures to limit the spread of the coronavirus, houses of worship and religious organizations have been subjected to size restrictions or outright bans on in-person gatherings which severely infringe upon the right of their members to freely exercise their religion;
Whereas, while houses of worship and religious organizations are subjected to severe restrictions under the guise of limiting the transmission of the coronavirus, businesses and secular activities enjoy substantially more favorable treatment by some State and local government officials, including—
Whereas the United States Supreme Court recently granted injunctive relief to 2 houses of worship in New York against the discriminatory actions by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, and declared ‘‘even in a pandemic, the Constitution cannot be put away and forgotten’’; and
Whereas, for millions of people of the United States, churches, synagogues, and houses of worship are more than just buildings, and the ability to gather together in prayer for people of all faiths, creeds, and beliefs must not be diminished or impeded by the whims of government officials: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate—