Affirming the importance of religious freedom as a fundamental human right that is essential to a free society and protected for all people of the United States under the Constitution of the United States, and recognizing the 231st anniversary of the enactment of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom.

Affirming the importance of religious freedom as a fundamental human right that is essential to a free society and protected for all people of the United States under the Constitution of the United States, and recognizing the 231st anniversary of the enactment of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom. Whereas United States democracy is rooted in the fundamental truth that all people are created equal, endowed by the Creator with certain inalienable rights, including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; Whereas the freedom of conscience was highly valued byâ€” (1) individuals seeking religious freedom who settled in the American colonies; (2) the founders of the United States; and (3) Thomas Jefferson, who wrote in his letter to the Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church at New London, Connecticut, dated February 4, 1809, that [n]o provision in our Constitution ought to be dearer to man than that which protects the rights of conscience against the enterprizes of the civil authority Whereas the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom wasâ€” (1) drafted by Thomas Jefferson, who considered the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom to be one of his greatest achievements; (2) enacted on January 16, 1786; and (3) the forerunner to the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States; Whereas section 2(a) of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 ( 22 U.S.C. 6401(a) (1) [t]he right to freedom of religion undergirds the very origin and existence of the United States (2) religious freedom was established by the founders of the United States in law, as a fundamental right and as a pillar of our Nation Whereas the role of religion in United States society and public life has a long and robust tradition; Whereas individuals who have studied United States democracy from an international perspective, such as Alexis de Tocqueville, have noted that religion plays a central role in preserving the United States Government because religion provides the moral base required for democracy to succeed; Whereas, in Town of Greece v. Galloway, 134 S. Ct. 1811 (2014), the United States Supreme Court affirmed that people of many faiths may be united in a community of tolerance and devotion Whereas the principle of religious freedom has guided our Nation forward is a universal human right to be protected here at home and across the globe Whereas [f]reedom of religion is a fundamental human right that must be upheld by every nation and guaranteed by every government Whereas the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States protectsâ€” (1) the right of individuals to express freely and act on their religious beliefs; and (2) individuals from coercion to profess or act on a religious belief to which they do not adhere; Whereas our laws and institutions should not impede or hinder but rather should protect and preserve fundamental religious liberties 42 U.S.C. 2000bb Whereas for countless people of the United States, faith is an integral part of every aspect of daily life and is not limited to their homes, houses of worship, or doctrinal creeds; Whereas religious faith has inspired many of our fellow citizens to help build a better Nation people of faith continue to wage a determined campaign to meet needs and fight suffering Whereas from its birth to this day, the United States has prized this legacy of religious freedom and honored this heritage by standing for religious freedom and offering refuge to those suffering religious persecution 22 U.S.C. 6401(a) Whereas Thomas Jefferson wroteâ€” (1) in 1798 that each right encompassed in the First Amendment to the United States Constitution is dependent on the other rights described in that Amendment, thereby guarding in the same sentence, and under the same words, the freedom of religion, of speech, and of the press: insomuch, that whatever violated either, throws down the sanctuary which covers the others (2) in 1822 that the constitutional freedom of religion is the most inalienable and sacred of all human rights Whereas religious freedom has been integral to the preservation and development of the United States the free exercise of religion goes hand in hand with the preservation of our other rights Whereas we continue to proclaim the fundamental right of all peoples to believe and worship according to their own conscience, to affirm their beliefs openly and freely, and to practice their faith without fear or intimidation That Congressâ€” (1) on Religious Freedom Day on January 16, 2017, honors the 231st anniversary of the enactment of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom; and (2) affirms thatâ€” (A) for individuals of any faith and individuals of no faith, religious freedom includes the right of an individual to live, work, associate, and worship in accordance with the beliefs of the individual; (B) all people of the United States can be unified in supporting religious freedom, regardless of differing individual beliefs, because religious freedom is a fundamental human right; and (C) the American people will remain forever unshackled in matters of faith

Summary: Calls for honoring the 231st anniversary of the enactment of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom on Religious Freedom Day, January 16, 2017. Affirms that: religious freedom includes the right of individuals of any faith and individuals of no faith to live, work, associate, and worship in accordance with their beliefs; all people of the United States can be unified in supporting religious freedom because it is a fundamental human right; and the American people will remain forever unshackled in matters of faith.