Wicker Fights for Religious Freedom

Religious freedom is a hallmark of our American way of life. Since our nation was founded, we have been a safe haven for persecuted believers around the world, inspiring other nations to follow our lead. , has fought to advance religious freedom at home and abroad, including for Christians fleeing Afghanistan during the 2021 Taliban rule. I will soon co-chair the International Religious Freedom Summit in Washington to raise awareness. On the challenges facing religious groups around the world. Unfortunately, religious liberty is under attack here in America, too, as left-wing government officials seek to impose their will on people of conscience.

Biden Continues Obama’s War on Religious Freedom

In 2011, President Obama declared war on religious freedom, with his administration attempting to force religious schools, businesses, and even Catholic nuns to pay for abortion pills through their health insurance plans. The judicial ruling made it clear that the regime had gone too far. Hobby Lobby, a Christian-owned business, sued the Obama administration and ultimately won in the Supreme Court. Religious freedom later became a strong supporter of the Trump administration, but President Biden is now picking up where Obama left off, trying to overwhelm those who don’t share his values.

In Mr. Biden’s first few months in office, his administration created radical new policies that rivaled President Obama’s mandate. The policy required religious doctors and nurses to violate their conscience and medical judgment to perform life-changing “sex reassignment” surgeries on children. Thankfully, the administration stopped when two federal courts blocked the policy. Still, the president shows no sign of stopping attacking those who want to live their faith freely.

Religious Freedom Threatened in Liberal Nation

Unfortunately, some states ignore religious liberty as much as the president. In Ohio and Virginia, Christian teachers were fired for refusing to use transgender pronouns in their classes. Fined and forced to pay damages. Similarly, in Colorado, a Christian cake shop owner named Jack Phillips was repeatedly sued by the state for refusing to make custom cakes to celebrate same-sex marriage and “sex reassignment.” He ended up in court, where he won twice, once in the Supreme Court, and is now being targeted for the third time. Mr. Phillips summed it up nicely.

We should all take these threats to religious freedom seriously, and I have actively sought to use my influence as a U.S. Senator to defend this fundamental freedom. During the pandemic, I drafted a legal advisory letter in federal court upholding the right of the Washington, DC Baptist Church to meet in person, which ultimately won. I also recently signed an Amicus Brief endorsing her Lorie Smith, her web designer from Colorado. She recently appeared in Supreme Court to defend her right to create a website only for her wedding that she can approve. In addition, I vigorously pushed for the Religious Freedom Amendment to the recent Marriage Bill in Congress. And I voted to confirm the hundreds of conservative justices in the Senate who are on the front lines of defending constitutional rights. I will always stand for those who uphold one of our most sacred traditions and defend their right to religious liberty unimpeded.