Becket

Ten years ago today, the Supreme Court granted a landmark victory for religious liberty, ruling 5-4 in favor of Hobby Lobby. The decision recognized that Americans do not lose their religious freedom when they run a family business.

Go behind the scenes by listening to "Pills and Principles"-- a podcast episode that covers stories from the Green family and the lawyers who worked the case.
https://soundcloud.com/streamofconscience/hobby-lobby

At Becket, we are working hard to protect parental rights, medical conscience, the autonomy of religious schools and institutions, and many other issues.

None of our efforts would be possible without our brave clients and our faithful supporters.

This , become more involved in the fight to protect religious freedom and please consider donating to support our work! https://www.becketlaw.org/giving-tuesday/

This , learn about the fight to – sacred indigenous land that a foreign mining giant wants to destroy. Apache Stronghold's case is at the Ninth Circuit.

Learn more here:

Apache sacred land threatened by mining in Arizona Apache Stronghold's case is currently at the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, where a full eleven-judge panel will hear the case in March 2023. To learn more ...

Happy Thanksgiving! This year and every year, we are grateful for the privilege of defending .

And at Becket, we celebrate Thanksgiving by reading our founder’s words about how “you can’t just sit there an ‘thank.’ You have to thank someone.” Read Seamus Hasson’s “Forgetting the holy; The Feast of the Instransitive Verb” here:https://s3.amazonaws.com/becketpdf/Forgetting-the-holy-The-Feast-of-the-Intransitive-Verb.pdf

"Looking ahead, we would do well to use ’s story as a blueprint in building a more tolerant, free, and peaceful America."

Becket president Mark Rienzi writes about the enduring achievement and relevance of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

The Enduring Achievement and Relevance of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act | National Review Thirty years after its passage, RFRA continues to show how we can respectfully accommodate America’s pluralism.

Today, we celebrate three decades of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act– a bedrock protection for people of all faiths to live out their beliefs freely.

Thirty Years of RFRA: Protecting Religious Freedom for All - Becket WASHINGTON – Thirty years ago today, President Bill Clinton signed into law the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, a bipartisan bill designed to ensure that all Americans have the right to freely live out their faith. Since its enactment, RFRA has protected the ability of people of diverse faiths ...

Religious Freedom Restoration Act Turns 30 The Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 (RFRA) turns 30 years old tomorrow. RFRA was a landmark bill signed into federal law by President Bill Clinton that ensures religious freedom is...

Why is RFRA so controversial nowadays? In this podcast episode, we explores our favorite four-letter word and how, 30 years ago, Congress passed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act with overwhelming and bipartisan support.

Listen to "RFRA, We Love You" wherever you stream your podcasts.
Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/enarAeCG
Spotify: https://lnkd.in/eC6rvaKq
Soundcloud: https://lnkd.in/egFZgngG

"Since its enactment, RFRA has served as a bedrock protection for religious groups ranging from Apache feather dancers to Catholic religious sisters. Although some predicted that RFRA’s standard would be a recipe for anarchy, it has instead proven that religious liberty works remarkably well in practice."

In The Hill, Becket's Lori Windham discusses the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, the important "science experiment" that was signed into law 30 years ago this week.

Justice Scalia predicted ‘anarchy,’ but three decades later, religious freedom law is thriving The results of RFRA? Not anarchy.

Becket Seeks Emergency Injunction to Protect Religious Rights Mahmoud v. McKnight

A Catholic community of religious sisters today declared victory in their lawsuit against government officials who wanted access to the Sisters’ sensitive internal documents.

Victory: New York gives up attack on Sisters of Life - Becket WASHINGTON – A Catholic community of religious sisters today declared victory in their lawsuit against government officials who wanted access to the Sisters’ sensitive internal documents. In June 2022, New York passed a law targeting life-affirming pregnancy centers for government investigation....

Join us on November 16 to celebrate 30 years of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA).

experts will reflect on RFRA’s bipartisan beginnings, its success, and lasting importance in protecting our religious liberty.

Orrin G. Hatch Foundation to host 30th anniversary event for the Religious Freedom Restoration Act - Becket WASHINGTON – The Orrin G. Hatch Foundation will host a virtual event on November 16 to celebrate the 30-year anniversary of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Religious liberty experts including Becket vice president and senior counsel Eric Baxter will reflect on RFRA’s bipartisan beginnings...

Becket fellow and scholar Angela Wu Howard presented a discussion at Notre Dame Law School's Law & Religion Junior Faculty Conference.

"Every good citizen should come to understand religious liberty. Not just lawyers, not just people who want to go fight about it—fundamentally, it's a core part of the American commitment."

Listen to Becket president Mark Rienzi's remarks on The Kevin Roberts Show (The Heritage Foundation).

Mark Rienzi | Religious Liberty: The American Commitment Every good citizen should come to understand religious liberty. Not just lawyers, not just people who want to go fight about it—fundamentally, it's a core pa...

Native American Tribes Win Settlement From Federal Government Over Destruction of Sacred Site Last year, the Protect The First Foundation filed an amicus brief urging the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to hear the plight of the Yakima Nation and the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde. These...

Panel 2: "Why RFRA is Vital for America's Future," moderated by RFI's Nathan Berkeley, with speakers Mark Rienzi of Becket, Sarah Parshall Perry of The Heritage Foundation, and Louis Brown of Christ Medicus Foundation

Today in court: A Catholic healthcare clinic challenged a Colorado law that makes it illegal to offer women a natural hormone to reverse the effects of the abortion pill.

Bella Health and Wellness asked the court to protect its life-saving ministry to help women discontinue unwanted abortions.

Catholic healthcare clinic fights to help pregnant women in need - Becket WASHINGTON – A Catholic healthcare clinic was in federal court today challenging a Colorado law that bans giving women a natural hormone to reverse the effects of the abortion pill. In Bella Health and Wellness v. Weiser, Colorado agreed earlier this year not to enforce the law until three state l...

Though their place of worship may not have four walls and a steeple, Oak Flat deserves the same protection as the holiest churches, mosques and synagogues in this country.

Apache sacred land threatened by mining in Arizona Apache Stronghold's case is currently at the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, where a full eleven-judge panel will hear the case in March 2023. To learn more ...

15 years after the “Place of Big Big Trees” was destroyed, the government has agreed to replant a grove of trees, pay for the reconstruction of a sacred stone altar, and recognize the historic use of the site by Native Americans.

‘Try to make it right’: Sacred site to be restored in Clackamas County The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty is a non-profit, public-interest legal and educational institute that protects the free expression of all faiths. The B...

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: The federal government has just agreed to repair a Native American sacred site it needlessly bulldozed during a highway project 15 years ago.

The historic agreement comes as the tribal members' appeal was pending at the U.S. Supreme Court.

BREAKING: Feds Agree to Repair Native American Sacred Site - Becket WASHINGTON – The federal government has agreed to restore a Native American sacred site in Oregon 15 years after bulldozing it to add a turn lane to a nearby highway. In Slockish v. U.S. Department of Transportation, members of the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation and the Confede...

For 23 years, the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act ( ) has protected houses of worship and prisoners from government abuse of power.

This powerful piece of religious freedom legislation is vital for protecting vulnerable people of all faiths.

What’s in store for this year’s term? More opportunities to protect ! Cases concerning counselors offering help to pregnant women, the destruction of Native American sacred lands, and religious groups fighting government mandates are all headed toward the Court.

Supreme Court 2023-24 Term: Sidewalk counselors, Native sacred land, government mandates - Becket WASHINGTON – The new Supreme Court Term will provide the Justices with important opportunities to protect religious speakers and activities from unlawful government restrictions. Cases concerning counselors offering help to pregnant women, the destruction of Native American sacred lands, and relig...

The nation’s largest federal appeals court ruled today that Fellowship of Christian Athletes’ student clubs can freely gather and hold events on public high school campuses in California.

Federal court restores equal access for faith-based student clubs - Becket WASHINGTON – The nation’s largest federal appeals court ruled today that Fellowship of Christian Athletes’ student clubs can freely gather and hold events on public high school campuses. In Fellowship of Christian Athletes v. San Jose Unified School District, school district officials in San J...

In Maryland’s Montgomery County Public Schools, parents are forbidden to know when their elementary-school children will read and discuss in class ideological books on sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender transitioning. They are also unable to opt their children out of these lessons. The Federalist Society

Mahmoud v. Montgomery County Public Schools: A Religious Liberty Controversy to Watch In Maryland’s Montgomery County Public Schools, parents are forbidden to know when their elementary-...

Catholic Charities Bureau of the Diocese of Superior was at the Wisconsin Supreme Court today to explain that its ministry to the poor, elderly, and disabled is part of its religious mission.

Becket's Eric Rassbach argued the case, after a lower court held that the ministry’s charitable activities were not sufficiently religious.

Becket president Mark Rienzi talked with EWTN about the impact of buffer zone laws on free speech protections and the ministries of pro-life sidewalk counselors.

We are asking the Supreme Court to look at Debra Vitagliano's case.

Supreme Court Asked to Reconsider Pro-Abortion “Buffer Zones” Pro-life sidewalk counselors have asked the Supreme Court to protect free speech; The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty’s Mark Rienzi discusses the impact of...