March 12, 2007

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Justice has launched a new initiative intended to defend religious liberty in the United States. Assistant Attorney General Wan J. Kim, head of the DOJ Civil Rights Division, spoke about the project today before the Committee on Religious Liberty of the National Council of Churches meeting at the First Amendment Center.

Referring to the recently published Report on Enforcement of Laws Protecting Religious Freedom: Fiscal Years 2001-2006, he reported that the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice enforces a wide range of laws protecting religious liberty – laws barring discrimination based on religion in employment, public education, housing, credit, and access to public facilities and public accommodations; laws barring zoning authorities from discriminating against houses of worship and religious schools; laws protecting the religious rights of institutionalized persons; and criminal statutes such as the Church Arson Prevention Act making it a federal crime to attack persons or institutions based on their religion, or otherwise interfere with religious exercise.

As detailed in the report, from 2001 to 2006 the Department of Justice dramatically increased enforcement of these laws. But, he noted, there is more work to be done.

"Preserving religious liberty requires an ongoing commitment to protecting this most basic freedom for people of all faiths," said Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales in announcing the First Freedom Project on February 20.

Religious liberty is often referred to as the "First Freedom" because the Framers placed it first in the Bill of Rights. Yet it is not merely first in order: it is a fundamental freedom on which so many of our other freedoms rest.

The First Freedom Project includes a number of facets to ensure that this precious right, guaranteed by our laws and Constitution, is recognized and protected:

• A commitment to continued expansion of enforcement of civil rights statutes protecting religious liberty.

• Creation of a Department-wide Task Force on Religious Liberty, chaired by the Assistant Attorney General of the Civil Rights Division, to review DOJ policies impacting religious liberty, coordinate religious liberty cases, and improve outreach to stakeholder communities.

• Initiation of a series of regional seminars to be held around the country to educate religious, civil rights, and community leaders, attorneys, government officials, and other interested citizens about the laws protecting religious freedom enforced by the Department of Justice and how to file complaints.

• Increased outreach to religious organizations, civil rights organizations, and other groups and individuals concerned with religious liberty issues through meetings, speaking engagements, and distribution of informational literature.

For more information about the First Freedom Project, you may contact the Special Counsel for Religious Discrimination, Eric W. Treene, at (202) 353-8622 or send an email to FirstFreedom@usdoj.gov. A new website – http://www.FirstFreedom.gov – has been created for the Project.

The NCC's Committee on Religious Liberty meets regularly to review legal cases, legislation and government regulations which affect religious exercise. The Rev. N. J. L'Heureux, Jr., QFC Executive Director, is the moderator of the Committee which includes legal and public policy persons of many Christian denominations and non-Christian faiths, along with academics and advocates from across the country.

Queens Federation of Churches