Presidential Documents

3057 

Federal Register 

Vol. 83, No. 14 

Monday, January 22, 2018 

Title 3— 

The President 

Proclamation 9690 of January 16, 2018 

Religious Freedom Day, 2018 

By the President of the United States of America 

A Proclamation 

Faith is embedded in the history, spirit, and soul of our Nation. On Religious 

Freedom Day, we celebrate the many faiths that make up our country, 

and we commemorate the 232nd anniversary of the passing of a State law 

that has shaped and secured our cherished legacy of religious liberty. 

Our forefathers, seeking refuge from religious persecution, believed in the 

eternal truth that freedom is not a gift from the government, but a sacred 

right from Almighty God. On the coattails of the American Revolution, 

on January 16, 1786, the Virginia General Assembly passed the Virginia 

Statute of Religious Freedom. This seminal bill, penned by Thomas Jefferson, 

states 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.’’ Five years later, these 

principles served as the inspiration for the First Amendment, which affirms 

our right to choose and exercise faith without government coercion or reprisal. 

Today, Americans from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds remain 

steadfast in a commitment to the inherent values of faith, honesty, integrity, 

and patriotism. Our Constitution and laws guarantee Americans the right 

not just to believe as they see fit, but to freely exercise their religion. 

Unfortunately, not all have recognized the importance of religious freedom, 

whether by threatening tax consequences for particular forms of religious 

speech, or forcing people to comply with laws that violate their core religious 

beliefs without sufficient justification. These incursions, little by little, can 

destroy the fundamental freedom underlying our democracy. Therefore, soon 

after taking office, I addressed these issues in an Executive Order that 

helps ensure Americans are able to follow their consciences without undue 

Government interference and the Department of Justice has issued guidance 

to Federal agencies regarding their compliance with laws that protect religious freedom. No American—whether a nun, nurse, baker, or business 

owner—should be forced to choose between the tenets of faith or adherence 

to the law. 

The United States is also the paramount champion for religious freedom 

around the world, because we do not believe that conscience rights are 

only for Americans. We will continue to condemn and combat extremism, 

terrorism, and violence against people of faith, including genocide waged 

by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria against Yezidis, Christians, and Shia 

Muslims. We will be undeterred in our commitment to monitor religious 

persecution and implement policies that promote religious freedom. Through 

these efforts, we strive for the day when people of all faiths can follow 

their hearts and worship according to their consciences. 

The free exercise of religion is a source of personal and national stability, 

and its preservation is essential to protecting human dignity. Religious diversity strengthens our communities and promotes tolerance, respect, understanding, and equality. Faith breathes life and hope into our world. We 

must diligently guard, preserve, and cherish this unalienable right. 


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3058 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 14 / Monday, January 22, 2018 / Presidential Documents 

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, 2018, 

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 teach us to secure this blessing both at home and 

abroad. 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this sixteenth day 

of January, in the year of our Lord two thousand eighteen, and of the 

Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fortysecond. 

[FR Doc. 2018–01234 

Filed 1–19–18; 11:15 am] 

Billing code 3295–F8–P 


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