Opinion ID: 1324254
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 12

Heading: Applicability of RFRA to Federal Land

Text: Finally, the majority misstates the law when it treats as an open question whether RFRA applies to federal land. The majority writes: The Defendants do not contend that RFRA is inapplicable to the government's use and management of its own land, which is at issue in this case. Because this issue was not raised or briefed by the parties, we have no occasion to consider it. Therefore, we assume, without deciding, that RFRA applies to the government's use and management of its land[.] Maj. op. at 1067 n. 9. It is hardly an open question whether RFRA applies to federal land. For good reason, none of the defendants argued that RFRA is inapplicable to actions on federal land. There is nothing in the text of RFRA that says, or even suggests, that such a carve-out from RFRA exists. No case has ever so held, or even suggested, that RFRA is inapplicable to federal land. The majority opinion uses silence of the briefs in this case as an excuse to treat the applicability of RFRA to federal land as an open question. However, the majority ignores the following exchange with the government's attorney during oral argument before the en banc panel. In that exchange, the government explicitly stated that RFRA applies to federal land: Question [by a member of the en banc panel]: Is it your position that the substantial burden test is simply never triggered when the government is using its own land? That it's simply outside the coverage of RFRA if the government is using its own land? Answer [by the government's attorney]: No, your honor, that is not our position.... Question: So, the use of government land has the potential under RFRA to impose a substantial burden? Answer: It is possible that certain activities on certain government land can still substantially burden religious activities. Question: And would then violate RFRA if there were no compelling state interest? Answer: Correct. Yes. [En banc argument at 35:06.]