By the authority vested in me as President by the Structure and the legal guidelines of the USA of America, it’s hereby ordered:
Part 1. Objective and Coverage. It shall be the coverage of the chief department to vigorously implement the historic and strong protections for spiritual liberty enshrined in Federal regulation. The Founders envisioned a Nation by which spiritual voices and views are integral to a vibrant public sq. and human flourishing and by which spiritual folks and establishments are free to follow their religion with out worry of discrimination or hostility from the Authorities. Certainly, the roots of non secular liberty stretch again to the early settlers who fled spiritual persecution in Europe, looking for a brand new world the place they may select, comply with, and follow their religion with out interference from the Authorities. The precept of non secular liberty was enshrined in American regulation with the First Modification to the Structure in 1791. Since that point, the Structure has protected the basic proper to non secular liberty as People’ first freedom.
Throughout my first time period, I issued Govt Order 13798 of Could 4, 2017 (Selling Free Speech and Spiritual Liberty). Pursuant to that order, the Lawyer Basic issued a memorandum for all govt departments and businesses (businesses) titled “Federal Legislation Protections for Spiritual Liberty” on October 6, 2017. The Supreme Court docket has additionally continued to vindicate the Founders’ dedication to non secular liberty, together with by giving impact to the precept that spiritual voices must be welcomed on an equal foundation within the public sq..
Lately, some Federal, State, and native insurance policies have threatened America’s distinctive and delightful custom of non secular liberty. These insurance policies try and infringe upon longstanding conscience protections, forestall mother and father from sending their kids to non secular faculties, threaten lack of funding or denial of non-profit tax standing for faith-based entities, and single out spiritual teams and establishments for exclusion from governmental packages. Some opponents of non secular liberty would take away faith fully from public life. Others characterize spiritual liberty as inconsistent with civil rights, regardless of religions’ important roles within the abolition of slavery; the passage of Federal civil rights legal guidelines; and the supply of indispensable social, academic, and well being companies.
President Ronald Reagan reminded us that “freedom is rarely multiple era away from extinction.” People have to be reacquainted with our Nation’s excellent experiment in spiritual freedom with a purpose to protect it in opposition to rising threats. Subsequently, the Federal Authorities will promote residents’ pleasure in our foundational historical past, determine rising threats to non secular liberty, uphold Federal legal guidelines that defend all residents’ full participation in a pluralistic democracy, and defend the free train of faith.
Sec. 2. Institution of the Spiritual Liberty Fee. (a) There may be hereby established the Spiritual Liberty Fee (Fee).
(b) The Fee shall perform as follows:
(i) The Fee shall be composed of as much as 14 members appointed by the President. Members of the Fee shall embrace people chosen to function educated representatives of assorted sectors of society, together with the personal sector, employers, academic establishments, spiritual communities, and States, to supply numerous views on how the Federal Authorities can defend spiritual liberty for all People. The President shall designate a Chairman and Vice Chairman from among the many members. The Fee shall additionally embrace the next ex officio members or such senior officers as these members could designate:
(A) the Lawyer Basic;
(B) the Secretary of Housing and City Growth; and
(C) the Assistant to the President for Home Coverage.
(ii) Members appointed to the Fee shall serve one time period ending on July 4, 2026, which marks the 250th anniversary of American Independence. If the time period of the Fee is prolonged by the President past July 4, 2026, members shall be eligible for reappointment for a 2-year time period. Members could proceed to serve after the expiration of their phrases till the appointment of a successor.
(iii) The Fee shall produce a complete report on the foundations of non secular liberty in America, the influence of non secular liberty on American society, present threats to home spiritual liberty, methods to protect and improve spiritual liberty protections for future generations, and packages to extend consciousness of and have a good time America’s peaceable spiritual pluralism. Particular subjects to be thought of by the Fee beneath these classes shall embrace the next areas: the First Modification rights of pastors, spiritual leaders, homes of worship, faith-based establishments, and non secular audio system; assaults throughout America on homes of worship of many religions; debanking of non secular entities; the First Modification rights of academics, college students, navy chaplains, service members, employers, and workers; conscience protections within the well being care subject and regarding vaccine mandates; mother and father’ authority to direct the care, upbringing, and schooling of their kids, together with the proper to decide on a spiritual schooling; allowing time for voluntary prayer and non secular instruction at public faculties; Authorities shows with spiritual imagery; and the proper of all People to freely train their religion with out worry or Authorities censorship or retaliation.
(iv) The Fee shall advise the White Home Religion Workplace and the Home Coverage Council on spiritual liberty insurance policies of the USA. Particular actions of the Fee shall embrace, to the extent permitted by regulation, recommending steps to safe home spiritual liberty by govt or legislative actions in addition to figuring out alternatives for the White Home Religion Workplace to companion with the Ambassador at Giant for Worldwide Spiritual Freedom to additional the reason for spiritual liberty all over the world.
(v) Members of the Fee shall serve with none compensation for his or her work on the Fee. Members of the Fee, whereas engaged within the work of the Fee, could also be allowed journey bills, together with per diem in lieu of subsistence, to the extent permitted by regulation for individuals serving intermittently in Authorities service (5 U.S.C. 5701-5707), in line with the supply of funds.
(vi) To advise members of the Fee:
(A) An Advisory Board of Spiritual Leaders shall be designated by the President and shall encompass no more than 15 members. The Advisory Board of Spiritual Leaders shall be a subcomponent of the Fee and report back to the Chairman of the Fee;
(B) An Advisory Board of Lay Leaders from spiritual congregations shall be designated by the President and shall encompass no more than 15 members. The Advisory Board of Lay Leaders shall be a subcomponent of the Fee and report back to the Chairman of the Fee; and
(C) An Advisory Board of Authorized Specialists shall be designated by the President and shall encompass the Lawyer Basic, or the Lawyer Basic’s designee, and less than 10 attorneys. The Advisory Board of Authorized Specialists shall be a subcomponent of the Fee and report back to the Chairman of the Fee.
(vii) The Fee shall terminate on July 4, 2026, which marks the 250th anniversary of American Independence, until prolonged by the President.
(viii) The Division of Justice shall present such funding and administrative and technical help because the Fee could require, to the extent permitted by regulation and as licensed by current appropriations.
(ix) Insofar because the Federal Advisory Committee Act (chapter 10 of title 5, United States Code) could apply to the Fee or any of its Advisory Boards, any capabilities of the President beneath that Act, aside from these in sections 1005 and 1013 of that Act, shall be carried out by the Lawyer Basic, in accordance with the rules and procedures established by the Administrator of Basic Companies.
Sec. 3. Severability. If any provision of this order, or the appliance of any provision to any company, particular person, or circumstance, is held to be invalid, the rest of this order and the appliance of its provisions to another businesses, individuals, or circumstances shall not be affected thereby.
Sec. 4. Basic Provisions. (a) Nothing on this order shall be construed to impair or in any other case have an effect on:
(i) the authority granted by regulation to an govt division or company, or the pinnacle thereof; or
(ii) the capabilities of the Director of the Workplace of Administration and Finances referring to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be applied in line with relevant regulation and topic to the supply of appropriations.
(c) This order isn’t meant to, and doesn’t, create any proper or profit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at regulation or in fairness by any celebration in opposition to the USA, its departments, businesses, or entities, its officers, workers, or brokers, or another particular person.
DONALD J. TRUMP
THE WHITE HOUSE,
Could 1, 2025.
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