The Secular Coalition for America is the national lobby representing the interests of atheists, humanists, agnostics, freethinkers and other nontheistic Americans.

The Religious Test in Campaign ’08 See "Nine for '09" resolutions and sign petition

The Last Congressional Closet LA Times Jan. 5 - 111th Congress reflects greater religious diversity in the U.S. Coalition advisory board chair Woody Kaplan estimates there were 22 members of the 110th Congress who hid their unbelief from the public. Related: 22 Members of Congress Are Secret Atheists (The Daily Profaner)

Religion and the Obama Presidency National Public Radio (npr) Dec. 25 - How Will Faith Play Into Obama's Administration? Host Alex Cohen talks with Lori Lipman Brown, the director of the Secular Coalition for America, about the role secular values will play in the next administration. Atheists Talk Dec. 21 - The Minnesota Atheists ask coalition director Lori Lipman Brown, "With Democrats soon to be in control of both the U.S. Congress and the Presidency, can we afford to relax our vigilance regarding Separation of State and Church?" The answer: Hardly.

Government-Endorsed Prayer LA Times Dec. 22 - Atheists pray for less God stuff in Barack Obama's inauguration Related: AOL news: Atheists and Christians United in Their Disapproval of Rick Warren Coalition president Herb Silverman's letter to the editor about Colorado's day of prayer debate

Obama Chooses Divisive Pastor

President-elect Obama announced the program for his inauguration this week, and it begins with an invocation from the Rev. Rick Warren, an evangelical mega church pastor. Although Obama and his spokesperson insist his inaugural will be inclusive and offer diverse viewpoints, the choice of two Protestants to open and close the ceremony suggests otherwise.

• Read the Secular Coalition's letter to President-elect Obama
• Send your own message to the Office of the President-elect [offsite]

Bush Administration Puts Religion Above Medicine in HSS Conscience Rule; Undermines Patient Rights

Dec. 18 - The Bush Administration today implemented the Provider Conscience Regulation (RIN 0991-AB48) through the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Its purpose is to allow medical personnel and volunteers to refuse to participate in any practice they find morally objectionable. This rule has been widely criticized for the effects it will have on OB/GYN care; however, other areas of patient care will also be compromised under this rule and many groups of Americans could see their medical treatment undermined as a result.
See: Secular Coalition for America Statement

2008 Year-End Report on the 110th Congress

Dec. 1 - The Secular Coalition's report on the issues most important to our constituency in the 110th Congress (more).

Atheists in Foxholes: Preventing Religious Discrimination in the Military under an Obama Administration

Secular Coalition for America and Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers Unveil Proposal on Religious Accommodation at Pre-Veterans Day Briefing

• Press release
• Press conference video
• Proposal to President-elect Barack Obama (.pdf)

Nov. 10 - Atheists and others with no religious affiliation make up 21% of the U.S. Armed Forces, and yet they suffer harassment, discrimination and proselytizing in a military increasingly dominated by a powerful minority of evangelical Christians. In a pre-Veterans Day proposal unveiled today at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., the Coalition and its member organization the Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers made a series of recommendations in a memo to President-elect Barack Obama as he considers staffing and policies regarding the military.

Atheists Reach Out -- Just Don't Call It Proselytizing

Nonbelievers Think the Time Is Right to Better Organize Their Nonreligion and Swell the Membership; 'Reason's Greetings'

Nov. 18 - The Wall Street Journal Online sees a growing momentum for the nontheist movement, citing billboards and city bus ads by Secular Coalition member organizations, the HumanLight holiday celebration, and the Coalition's lobbying work on Capitol Hill.

Related Media: Unfair Comments, Coalition president Herb Silverman's letter to the editor of The Post and Courier Charleston.net

Congressman Comes Out as Nontheist, Wins Re-election!

Secular Coalition Congratulates Rep. Pete Stark of California

Nov. 5 - Rep. Pete Stark (D-Calif.) is the only member of Congress who is on record as not holding a god-belief, the first such Congress member in history. In an election year when national candidates' religious beliefs were given unprecedented importance, the Coalition sees Stark's re-election, with 76% of the votes in his district, as a sign that religious tests for candidates may become less common. Press release

Related media:

Daily Kos blogs the Coalition's statement and polls readers who say - overwhelmingly - nontheism shouldn't matter when you vote

Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call notes, "Last week's historic elections certainly meant a lot of things to the Washington lobby scene, but for [the advocacy group Secular Coalition for America], the most significant was the re-election of California Democratic Rep. Pete Stark." (Paid subscription required)

The Secular Coalition is Making News
Oh Tannenbaum! UNC cuts Christmas trees from libraries (Fox News video) Dec. 11 - Are secularists to blame for a North Carolina public university's decision to discontinue holiday decorations in its libraries? Fox News interviews Fred Edwords, representing the Secular Coalition for America in his capacity as director of communications of its member organization, the American Humanist Association.
For Secular Americans, Lip Service Beats No Service "Political candidates are happy to accept our contributions, our volunteer hours, and our votes - as long as we [atheists] put bags over our heads." - Herb Silverman, president, Secular Coalition for America Nov. 6 - As a Guest Voice for washingtonpost.com's On Faith, Coalition president Herb Silverman explains his dilemma as an atheist voter on Nov. 4 and condemns atheist-bashing in the Dole/Hagan race in North Carolina. He also offers up a radical idea: that secular Americans are entitled to the same respect and attention political candidates grant to other voters. Related Media: Charleston City Paper expands on Silverman's On Faith submission in Lip Service: Secular Americans would be happy to get some		Secular America and the 2008 Election Nov. 5 - In this pre-election radio interview, Coalition director Lori Lipman Brown talks to WHRW News at SUNY Binghamton about the state of secularism in the U.S. for the past eight years, and speculates on each presidential candidate's impact on religion in government if elected.