October 26, 1999

ACTION ALERT!

The Religious Liberty Protection Act is legislation of critical importance to the Orthodox Jewish community.  "RLPA" will prohibit state and local governments from substantially burdening the free exercise of religion, even unintentionally, unless the government can demonstrate that it possesses a compelling reason to limit religious activity.

It will enable synagogues and other houses of worship to get a fairer hearing when they seek a zoning variance.  It will enable those who object on religious grounds to "loyalty oaths" to seek and obtain jobs that would otherwise require such oaths as a condition of employment. It will, in short, protect minority faiths and their adherents in a variety of situations.

This new legislation has been drafted with the Supreme Court decisions about religious liberty in mind, so that it will withstand constitutional scrutiny.
It is supported by a broad coalition of religious communities and passed the House of Representatives last July by a vote of 306 to 118.  The coalition unanimously supports the Religious Liberty Protection Act in its current form, and is working hard to have the U.S. Senate debate and vote upon this legislation before it adjourns for the year; adjournment is expected in two weeks.  There are those, on the political extremes, who are working to defeat this legislation.

Please contact your U.S. Senator as soon as possible to convey your opinion on this critical legislation and the need for it to be taken up by the Senate before it adjourns for the year.

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Comments?

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