Several members of Congress in late April announced that they were forming the Congressional Freethought Caucus, marking the first congressional caucus with the mission of promoting policy in government based on secular values such as reason and science.
U.S. Reps. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), Jerry McNerney (D-Calif.) and Dan Kildee (D-Mich.) announced the caucus’s formation on April 25.
“I’m thrilled to be a co-founder of the new Congressional Freethought Caucus, which will help spark an open dialogue about science and reason-based policy solutions, and the importance of defending the secular character of our government,” said Huffman. “There currently is no forum focused on these important issues, and with this administration and certain members of Congress constantly working to erode the separation of church and state, this new caucus is both important and timely.”
Larry T. Decker, executive director of the Secular Coalition for America (SCA), called the formation of the caucus “a milestone moment for nonreligious Americans.”
The Center for Freethought Equality, the advocacy arm of the American Humanist Association, assisted in organizing the caucus. Its formation was announced during an SCA event in Washington, D.C.
