Nonprofits And Faith Groups To Congressional Leaders: Churches Aren’t Political Tools

108 Nonprofits And Religious Organizations Sign Letter – Changes To Johnson Amendment Would Allow Politicians To Pressure Churches For Endorsements

Jul 12, 2017

Americans United for Separation of Church and State today joined 108 organizations that wrote to the House Appropriations Committee to urge its members to oppose a provision in the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act that would weaken the enforcement mechanisms of the Johnson Amendment.

Americans United: U.S. Supreme Court Should Rule Against President Trump’s Unconstitutional Muslim Ban

Religious Freedom Advocacy Group Urges Supreme Court To Remember That The Eyes Of History Are Watching As They Consider The Muslim Ban

Jun 26, 2017

Today the U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to review the lawsuits challenging President Donald J. Trump’s executive order restricting travel from several Muslim-majority countries. The Court has also allowed the Muslim ban to go into effect for people without ties to the United States. 

“Allowing the ban to take even partial effect opens the door to discrimination based on religion – which is at odds with our laws, history, traditions and common sense,” said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

Supreme Court Should Use Masterpiece Cakeshop To Assert That Religious Freedom Is Not The Right To Discriminate

Americans United: Colo. Baker Has No Constitutional Right To Deny Services To LGBTQ People

Jun 26, 2017

The U.S. Supreme Court today announced that it will hear an appeal in Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, the case of a Colorado baker who claimed his religious beliefs justified his refusal to serve same-sex couples.

Americans United for Separation of Church and State said the high court should use the case to make it clear that religious-freedom claims don’t override antidiscrimination laws.

Supreme Court’s Decision In Religiously Affiliated Hospital Pension Cases Endangers Hundreds Of Thousands Of Workers, Says Americans United

All Employees Deserve The Right To Have Their Retirement Plans And Pensions Protected Equally – Regardless Of Employer Religious Affiliation

Jun 5, 2017

The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling today in a trio of cases concerning pensions at religiously affiliated hospitals could jeopardize the financial security of hundreds of thousands of workers, says Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

The high court ruled 8-0 that religiously affiliated hospitals don’t have to comply with the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), a federal law designed to protect employee pensions. Houses of worship are exempt from ERISA, and a number of religiously affiliated hospitals claimed they should be as well.

Americans United: Trump Executive Order Harms Religious Freedom And Undermines Protections For Houses Of Worship And Women

Religious Freedom Advocacy Group Says Trump’s Use Of National Day Of Prayer Shows His Zeal For Showmanship Over Sincerity

May 4, 2017

President Donald Trump’s latest executive order is a direct attack on religious freedom, says Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

“Exploiting the National Day of Prayer to trample religious freedom highlights Trump’s zeal to substitute showmanship for sincerity,” said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn. “Today, the president pandered to his far-right fundamentalist base, upending protections for houses of worship and allowing religion to be used as an excuse to deny women coverage for contraception and other preventive health care.”

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