Americans United last month welcomed the reintroduction of the Do No Harm Act in the U.S. Congress.
The legislation is designed to modify a 1993 law, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), which was intended to protect the free exercise of religion, particularly for people of minority faiths. But today, the law is being misused to create exemptions from laws that protect people’s basic civil rights. That is why an increasing number of organizations and individuals, including many who supported RFRA in 1993, agree that RFRA needs to be fixed.
The Do No Harm Act will preserve RFRA’s power to protect religious freedom, while also clarifying that it may not be used to harm others. It will amend RFRA to ensure that it is not misused to undermine nondiscrimination laws; deny access to health care; evade child labor laws; thwart workplace protections, such as fair wage and equal pay laws; refuse to provide government-funded services; or refuse to perform duties as a government employee.
In the House, the Do No Harm Act is being sponsored by U.S. Reps. Bobby Scott (D-Va.), Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), and Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Pa.). In the Senate, it was introduced by U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.).
More than 100 civil rights, LGBTQ+, reproductive rights, health, labor and faith groups have endorsed the Do No Harm Act.