NAE President Walter Kim wrote Senators Tammy Baldwin and Susan Collins about the inclusion of important religious freedom protections in the Respect for Marriage Act. Read the letter in full below or download a PDF of the letter.

 

Dear Senators Baldwin and Collins,

Thank you for diligently working to ensure the inclusion of important religious freedom protections in the Respect for Marriage Act, which is currently before Congress. Your efforts, if successful, will produce the first significant bipartisan legislation in many years advancing religious freedom for all, including for those who hold traditional views on marriage.

Your proposal would achieve several objectives that enhance the religious freedom of all Americans:

  • Expressing congressional endorsement of the Supreme Court’s finding that those who hold traditional understandings of marriage are decent and honorable, deserving of respect under the law, rather than being equated with those who espouse racism and bigotry;
  • Demonstrating that Americans can respect the dignity of their fellow citizens and live in peace even when disagreeing on fundamental issues such as the nature of marriage;
  • Protecting traditional marriage supporters from having to facilitate marriages that violate their religious convictions; and
  • Protecting religious organizations from retaliation by federal agencies due to their views on marriage.

These are important, commonsense provisions that represent a significant contribution to strengthening the legal protections for those who, like the members of the National Association of Evangelicals, continue to believe that God designed marriage as an exclusive covenantal relationship between a man and a woman for the purpose of creating strong families that in turn bless their community and nation. We cherish the freedom to preach, teach and practice these core convictions, while respecting our fellow citizens who do not share these beliefs.

Be assured of our prayers for you as you continue serving our nation and defending the rights of all Americans.

Gratefully,

Walter Kim
NAE President