President Donald Trump has signed an Executive Order establishing the Religious Liberty Commission to safeguard and promote America’s founding principle of religious freedom.
The body will comprise a chairman and vice chairman, ex officio government officials, and members drawn from diverse religious and professional backgrounds, including clergy, legal experts, academics, and public advocates.
The White House, in a fact sheet, stated that advisory boards of religious leaders, lay leaders, and legal experts will provide specialised guidance as subcomponents of the commission.
The commission has been tasked with producing a report on the foundations of religious liberty in America, along with strategies to increase awareness of and celebrate the nation’s peaceful religious pluralism.
The comprehensive report is expected to address current threats to religious liberty, as well as strategies to preserve and enhance these protections for future generations.
Key focus areas include parental rights in religious education, attacks on houses of worship, school choice, conscience protections, free speech for religious entities, and institutional autonomy.
The Religious Liberty Commission will advise the White House Faith Office and the Domestic Policy Council on religious liberty policies and recommend executive or legislative actions to protect these freedoms.
