Orrin Hatch: “Congress unanimously passed the International Religious Freedom Act in 1989 with a 98-to-0 vote in this body for that…”

“Congress unanimously passed the International Religious Freedom Act in 1989 with a 98-to-0 vote in this body for that legislation, including 19 Senators still serving today-- 11 Republicans and 8 Democrats. We asserted that religious freedom ``undergirds the very origin and existence of the United States.'' Yet, religious freedom today is under attack across the country. Political activists are attacking religious freedom as the enemy of equality, claiming that laws protecting religious freedom are designed to enshrine discrimination in State law. This effort is misinformed, it is misguided, and it is misleading. It will serve only to harm religious freedom and to demonize religious people, many of whom would be allies in the effort to promote equality. The attack on religious freedom misunderstands the history and importance of religious freedom in America. That story began more than 400 years ago, as one religious community after another came to these shores so they could freely live their faith. As far back as December 1657, residents of the community known today as Flushing, NY, signed a petition called the Flushing Remonstrance. This petition protested a ban on certain religious practices that prevented the Quakers from worshipping. The petition signers stated that they would let everyone decide for themselves how to worship.…”