Religious Makeup of New 116th Congress

Pew Forum reports on the religious make up of the new 116th Congress, saying:

There has been a 3-percentage-point decline in the share of members of Congress who identify as Christian – in the 115th Congress, 91% of members were Christian, while in the 116th, 88% are Christian. There are also four more Jewish members, one additional Muslim and one more Unitarian Universalist in the new Congress – as well as eight more members who decline to state their religious affiliation (or lack thereof).

While the number of self-identified Christians in Congress has ticked down, Christians as a whole – and especially Protestants and Catholics – are still overrepresented in proportion to their share in the general public. Indeed, the religious makeup of the new, 116th Congress is very different from that of the United States population.

The full report gives numbers and percentages for the various faith groups, including various Protestant denominations. [Thanks to Scott Mange for the lead.]

Two Muslim Women To Be Sworn In As Members of Congress Today

As the Democrats take control of the House of Representatives today, they will pass a new rules package that includes a provision allowing religious headgear to be worn on the floor of the House.  As reported by ABC radio, this will overturn a nearly 200-year old ban on wearing hats on the House floor. The rule change will allow newly-elected Rep. Ilhan Omar from Minnesota, a Muslim woman, to wear her hijab. Meanwhile, CNN reports more broadly in a piece by Rafia Zakaria:

On January 3, 2019, not one but two Muslim American women will be sworn into Congress. Taking the oath on a Quran that belonged to Thomas Jefferson, Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib will become the first Muslim-American women to serve in the House of Representatives.

Their swearing in will be a historic milestone for the country, but it will be so much more than that for me. A black Somali-American woman who wears a headscarf and pokes fun at Islamophobes on Twitter, Omar crushes stereotypes of what a Muslim woman in a headscarf represents. As an unveiled Muslim American woman, Rashida Tlaib -- who will wear a Palestinian gown to her swearing in -- also dismantles the myth that all "real" Muslim women wear the headscarf.

Congress Passes Bill Aimed At Prosecuting Iraq and Syria Genocide

Last week, Congress gave final passage to HR 390, the Iraq and Syria Genocide Relief and Accountability Act (full text). The bill now awaits President Trump's signature. The Act provides in part:

Sec. 4... It is the policy of the United States to ensure that assistance for humanitarian, stabilization, and recovery needs of individuals who are or were nationals and residents of Iraq or Syria ... is directed toward those ... with the greatest need, including those ... from communities of religious and ethnic minorities ... that .... have been identified as being at risk of persecution, forced migration, genocide, crimes against humanity, or war crimes.

Sec.5.... The Secretary of State and [USAID] ... are authorized to provide assistance ... to support the efforts of entities, including nongovernmental organizations with expertise in international criminal investigations and law, to address genocide, crimes against humanity, or war crimes ... by ISIS in Iraq....

Sec. 7... Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees that includes—... (2) an assessment of— (A) the feasibility and advisability of prosecuting ISIS members for whom credible  evidence exists of having committed genocide, crimes against humanity, or war crimes in Iraq, including in domestic courts in Iraq, hybrid courts, and internationalized domestic courts; and (B) the measures needed— (i) to ensure effective criminal investigations of such individuals....

[Thanks to Blog from the Capital for the lead.]

Congressional Freethought Caucus Is Launched

In a press release yesterday, four members of the U.S. House of Representatives announced the formation of the Congressional Freethought Caucus.  The founders set out four goals for the new organization:

1) to promote public policy formed on the basis of reason, science, and moral values; 2) to protect the secular character of our government by adhering to the strict Constitutional principle of the separation of church and state; 3) to oppose discrimination against atheists, agnostics, humanists, seekers, religious and nonreligious persons, and to champion the value of freedom of thought and conscience worldwide; and 4) to provide a forum for members of Congress to discuss their moral frameworks, ethical values, and personal religious journeys.

The Caucus will be co-chaired by Representatives Jared Huffman (D-CA) and Jamie Raskin (D-MD).  Other founding members are Representatives Jerry McNerney (D-CA) and Dan Kildee (D-MI).

Omnibus Spending Bill Does Not Contain Johnson Amendment Repeal

Several non-profit organizations have noted that the 2,232-page version of the omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (full text) made public yesterday does not contain a repeal of the Johnson Amendment. A press release from the National Council of Nonprofits says in part:

Public trust is essential for charitable nonprofits, houses of worship, and foundations to do their work – and keeping the Johnson Amendment in place allows the public to continue trusting that our organizations can focus on our missions without being torn apart by divisive partisan politics.

A Baptist Joint Committee press release expresses similar sentiments, saying in part:

Those who depend on houses of worship and community nonprofits can breathe a sigh of relief, as concerted efforts to weaken the longstanding law that keeps the 501(c)(3) sector free from partisan campaigning were rebuked yet again. 

Some hoped they could slip a bad policy change into must-pass legislation, but advocates for keeping nonprofits nonpartisan spoke up and prevailed.

Congress Holds Hearing On Preventing Mass Atrocities

Yesterday, Congress' Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission held a hearing on prevention of mass atrocities around the world. Transcripts of prepared statements by a number of witnesses and a video of the entire hearing are available on the Commission's website.  In his opening statement, Commission co-chairman James McGovern said in part:

We are persuaded that atrocities are not the product of “ancient” ethnic or religious hatreds but rather of conscious, strategic decisions by ruling elites and non-state actors to achieve specific ends. Those actors need a reason to commit atrocities, and the means and opportunity to do so. The issue becomes how to change their strategic calculus.

We think impunity is one of the elements in that strategic calculus. If the perpetrators enjoy impunity, this may be seen as a “green light” to expand a genocidal or mass atrocity campaign.

House Hearing On State of Religious Liberty In U.S.

Last Thursday, the House Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice held a hearing on "The State of Religious Liberty in America." A video of the full hearing and transcripts of the prepared testimony of the four witnesses who testified are available on the Committee's website.  Testifying were representatives of the Christian Legal Society, Becket and Alliance Defending Freedom as well as Rabbi David Saperstein who until recently served as the U.S. Ambassador at-Large for International Religious Freedom. For a critical view of the hearing, see this report from Religion Dispatches.

Study Shows Religious Affiliation of New 115th Congress

Pew Research Center yesterday published its study of the religious makeup of the new 115th Congress.  91% of the members of Congress describe themselves as Christian.  There is more religious diversity among Democrats in Congress than among Republicans.  Of the 295 Republicans, 293 are Christian and 2 are Jewish.  Of the 242 Democrats, 194 are Christian, 28 are Jewish, 3 are Buddhist, 3 are Hindu, 2 are Muslim, 1 is Unitarian Universalist, 1 is religiously unaffiliated, and 10 declined to state their religious affiliation. Of the 484 Christian members of Congress, 168 are Catholic, 13 are Mormon and 5 are Orthodox Christian.  The others span various Protestant denominations, most being Baptist, Methodist, Anglican/ Episcopal, Presbyterian and Lutheran.

Bill Introduced In Congress To Bar Muslim Registry

In a press release yesterday, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene who represents the state of Washington in the U.S. House of Representatives introduced HR6382 the No Religious Registry Act. Introduced in response to statements suggesting that President-Elect Donald Trump favors a registry of Muslims in the U.S., the bill would bar the collection of information and the creation of a registry for classifying U.S. nationals, U.S. visa applicants or aliens lawfully present in the U.S. on the basis of religious affiliation,

House Holds Hearing On HR 2802, First Amendment Defense Act

The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform yesterday held a hearing on Religious Liberty and H.R. 2802, The First Amendment Defense Act (FADA). The Committee's website has extensive video and transcripts of the hearing.  As described by the Committee, FADA (full text of HR 2802) is a reaction to the Supreme Court's Obergefell  decision and would prohibit the federal government from taking discriminatory action against a person because the person believes, speaks, or acts in accordance with a sincerely held religious belief or moral conviction about marriage. Among the witnesses was the lead plaintiff in the Obergefell case. Washington Blade reports on the hearing. Think Progress focuses on Rep. Cummings statements. On Monday, a group of interfaith religious and advocacy organizations sent the committee a letter (full text) opposing the bill.

House Holds Hearings On Global Religious Freedom

Yesterday a subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee held hearings titled The Global Religious Freedom Crisis and Its Challenge to U.S. Foreign Policy.  Witnesses from the State Department and the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom testified.  Transcripts of their testimony are available from the Committee's website.

Bill Would Prohibit Excluding Aliens' Admission To U.S. On Religious Grounds

Apparently in reaction to presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's proposals on Muslim immigration, on May 12 Rep. Donald Beyer introduced into Congress H.R. 5207, the Freedom of Religion Act of 2016 (full text). The bill, which now has 103 co-sponsors (all Democrats), would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act by adding a section that provides:

Notwithstanding any other provision of the immigration laws, an alien may not be denied admission to the United States because of the alien’s religion or lack of religious beliefs.

FFRF Sues House Chaplain Over Invocation Requirements

The Freedom From Religion Foundation yesterday filed suit in federal district court in Washington, D.C. against the U.S. House of Representatives, its Chaplain and other House officials.  The complaint (full text) in Barker v. House of Representatives, (D DC, filed 5/5/2016), challenges the criteria used by the current House Chaplain in approving guest chaplains who deliver some 40% of the invocations opening House sessions. The House Chaplain requires that the guest chaplain be sponsored by a member of the House, be ordained, and deliver an invocation addressed to a "higher power."  Plaintiff Daniel Barker, co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, says he meets all these requirements, but was not permitted to deliver an invocation on the ground that his ordination is not in a religion that he now practices. The complaint alleges more generally that "the guest chaplain requirements are inherently discriminatory against the nonreligious and minority religions." The suit seeks declaratory and injunctive relief.

FFRF issued a press release announcing the filing of the lawsuit, saying in part:

FFRF is asking the ... Court ... to declare that barring atheists and other nonreligious individuals from the position of guest chaplain violates the Constitution and RFRA, and that requiring guest chaplains to invoke a supernatural power violates Article VI. The organization is also bringing an Establishment Clause claim under the First Amendment of the Constitution, pointing out the chaplain's office is showing an unconstitutional preference for religion over nonreligion.

"We take some satisfaction in filing this lawsuit on the National Day of Prayer, an unconstitutional law enacted at the behest of the Rev. Bill Graham in 1952 requiring the president to issue an annual proclamation exhorting citizens 'to turn to God in prayer, at churches,'" says Barker.

Pope Francis Addresses Joint Session of Congress

Pope Francis this morning became the first Pope to address a joint session of Congress. He delivered an hour-long speech (full text) filled with appeals, often framed in subtle and sophisticated nuance, appealing to Congress and Americans to realize their own potential on a wide range of issues-- many of them politically charged.  Here are some of the more memorable quotes:

All of us are quite aware of, and deeply worried by, the disturbing social and political situation of the world today.  Our world is increasingly a place of violent conflict, hatred and brutal atrocities, committed even in the name of God and of religion.  We know that no religion is immune from forms of individual delusion or ideological extremism.  This means that we must be especially attentive to every type of fundamentalism, whether religious or of any other kind.  A delicate balance is required to combat violence perpetrated in the name of a religion, an ideology or an economic system, while also safeguarding religious freedom, intellectual freedom and individual freedoms.  But there is another temptation which we must especially guard against: the simplistic reductionism which sees only good or evil; or, if you will, the righteous and sinners.  The contemporary world, with its open wounds which affect so many of our brothers and sisters, demands that we confront every form of polarization which would divide it into these two camps.  We know that in the attempt to be freed of the enemy without, we can be tempted to feed the enemy within.  To imitate the hatred and violence of tyrants and murderers is the best way to take their place.  That is something which you, as a people, reject..... 

In recent centuries, millions of people came to this land to pursue their dream of building a future in freedom.  We, the people of this continent, are not fearful of foreigners, because most of us were once foreigners.  I say this to you as the son of immigrants, knowing that so many of you are also descended from immigrants.  Tragically, the rights of those who were here long before us were not always respected.  For those peoples and their nations, from the heart of American democracy, I wish to reaffirm my highest esteem and appreciation.  Those first contacts were often turbulent and violent, but it is difficult to judge the past by the criteria of the present.  Nonetheless, when the stranger in our midst appeals to us, we must not repeat the sins and the errors of the past.  We must resolve now to live as nobly and as justly as possible, as we educate new generations not to turn their back on our “neighbors” and everything around us.  Building a nation calls us to recognize that we must constantly relate to others, rejecting a mindset of hostility in order to adopt one of reciprocal subsidiarity, in a constant effort to do our best.  I am confident that we can do this.....

The fight against poverty and hunger must be fought constantly and on many fronts, especially in its causes.  I know that many Americans today, as in the past, are working to deal with this problem.

It goes without saying that part of this great effort is the creation and distribution of wealth.  The right use of natural resources, the proper application of technology and the harnessing of the spirit of enterprise are essential elements of an economy which seeks to be modern, inclusive and sustainable.  “Business is a noble vocation, directed to producing wealth and improving the world.  It can be a fruitful source of prosperity for the area in which it operates, especially if it sees the creation of jobs as an essential part of its service to the common good” (Laudato Si’, 129).  This common good also includes the earth, a central theme of the encyclical which I recently wrote in order to “enter into dialogue with all people about our common home” (ibid., 3).  “We need a conversation which includes everyone, since the environmental challenge we are undergoing, and its human roots, concern and affect us all” (ibid., 14).

 Washington Post has additional reporting on the speech.

IRS Commissioner Says No Non-Profit Revocations In His Term For Colleges That Oppose Gay Marriage

At a July 29 hearing conducted by the Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Oversight, Agency Action, Federal Rights and Federal Courts (video and testimony at hearing), Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) had a lengthy exchange with IRS Commissioner John Koskinen over whether the IRS would revoke the tax-exempt status of Christian colleges and universities that remain opposed to same-sex marriage.  According to the Christian Post, Koskinen pledged:

that he will commit to making sure that the IRS does not punish religious schools for not adopting policies to accommodate gay marriage — such as allowing married same-sex couples to live in married student housing — as long as he is in charge of the IRS..... However, Koskinen did leave the door wide open for tax-exempt statuses to be a problem for Christian schools in the future....

All we do is follow whatever the public policy is that is set by other organizations," Koskinen argued. "At this point other actions would have to take place before the IRS can consider issuing a regulation, which would give people notices to what we think the public policy was and then cases and exams would be conducted under that.

[Thanks to Steven H. Sholk for the lead.]

Afghan President To US Congress: Moderate Muslims Must Speak Out

Afghanistan's new President, Ashraf Ghani, in a visit to the United States this week (New York Times), addressed a joint session of Congress yesterday.  In his speech (full text and video), Ghani called for changes within Islam, saying in part:

We are willing to speak truth about terror.  Military fighting may stem the advance of extremism, but it will not put an end to the anger and hatred being promulgated across majority countries from these groups. That hate must be challenged and overcome from within the religion of Islam.  Who is entitled to speak for Islam?  Leaders, intellectuals and those many millions of Muslims who believe that Islam is a religion of tolerance and virtue must find their voice.  Silence is not acceptable.  But silence is not what the world will hear from us.  Afghanistan is joining a new consensus that's emerging in the Muslim world.  A consensus that rejects intolerance, extremism and war...

The Islamic world must understand its own gloriously tolerant and inquisitive past.  It must re-engage with the world openly and without paranoia.  We, the unity government of Afghanistan, know that Islam is a religion of peace.... The Declaration of Human Rights is firmly embedded in our Constitution....

Carson To Become First Muslim On House Intelligence Committee

According to Politico, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi shortly will name Indiana Rep. André Carson to the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Carson will be the first Muslim to serve on the Intelligence Committee. He currently serves on the House Armed Services Committee and worked for the Department of Homeland Security’s Fusion Center.

Study Provides Religious Affiliation of Members of Incoming Congress

Pew Forum yesterday published its study of The Religious Composition of the 114th Congress which is sworn in today. It is 57.2% Protestant; 30.7% Catholic; 5.2% Jewish; 3% Mormon.  Other faiths represented include Orthodox Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu and Unitarian-Universalist. Only 1 member of the incoming Congress is listed as Unaffiliated, while 20% of American adults say they are unaffiliated.  The full report has additional details on members' religious affiliations.

Congress Gives USCIRF 9 More Months of Life

Earlier this week, Congress passed and sent to the President H.R. 5816 (full text), extending the life of the U.S. Commission for International Religious Freedom until Sept. 30, 2015.  The bill is retroactive to Dec. 10, the day before the Commission's current authorization expired. (See prior posting.) The White House website lists this, along with other bills awaiting the President's signature and provides an online opportunity for individuals to comment on the bill.

House Holds Hearings On Religious Accommodation In Military

Yesterday, the Military Personnel Subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee held a hearing on Religious Accommodations in the Armed Services. The full texts of the prepared statements of five witnesses, plus statements submitted for the record by a member of Congress and ten advocacy organizations, are available at the Committee's website.