Use this helpful guide when meeting with your Congressional representatives urging them to join the Congressional Freethought Caucus.
The Congressional Freethought Caucus
The Congressional Freethought Caucus was established three years ago in reaction to the influence of religion in public policymaking in ways that the Caucus’s founders deem inappropriate in a secular government. They see such influence as hampering effective and appropriate responses to issues ranging from climate change to gun violence.
The Caucus was founded with these goals in mind:
- Promoting public policy formed on the basis of reason, science, and moral values.
- Protecting the secular character of our government by adhering to the strict Constitutional principle of the separation of church and state.
- Oppose discrimination against atheists, agnostics, humanists, seekers, religious and nonreligious persons, and to champion the value of freedom of thought and conscience worldwide.
- Providing a forum for members of Congress to discuss their moral frameworks, ethical values, and personal religious journeys.
The Freethought Caucus includes Christian, humanist, nonreligious, Jewish, Buddhist, and Muslim members. It works to uphold values important to millions of Americans. In fact, a 2019 Pew Research Study found that 23 percent of the population considers itself unaffiliated with a particular faith (the “Nones”), including seven percent who are atheist or agnostic.
CFC Actions and Accomplishments
- Raised concerns pertaining to the creation of the Religious Liberty Task Force (letter to Attorney General Sessions dated 9/19/2018)
- Supported legislation such as the No BAN Act, which passed the House on July 22, 2020
- Opposed President Trump’s guidance on school-sponsored prayer ( issued 1/16/2020)
- Called into question President Trump’s efforts to reopen churches during the COVID-19
- pandemic (statement issued May 23, 2020)
- Denounced Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel A. Alito Jr.’s urging the Supreme Court to reconsider the Obergefell vs. Hodges ruling (statement issued October 10, 2020)
- Hosts speaker series and discussions for Members of Congress.
As a supporter of keeping religion out of government and an advocate of basing government policy in science and reason, I hope you will contact Congressman Jared Huffman or his staff member Anthony Montoya to join the Congressional Freethought Caucus or to learn more about it.
