Washington, DC—On Friday, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued a new directive giving federal contractors broad powers to discriminate under the guise of “religious freedom.”...
Atheists: Domestic Gag Rule is Unconstitutional, Threatens Well-Being of Millions
Washington, DC—American Atheists today submitted comments to the Department of Health and Human services opposing the so-called “Domestic Gag Rule” as unconstitutional and a threat to the safety, health, and well-being of millions of Americans who rely on Title X funding for their healthcare needs. ...
Atheist Groups Urge Senate to Reject Discriminatory Adoption Provision in Appropriations Bill
Washington, DC—In a letter to the chairman and vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, a coalition of six national atheist, humanist, and secular groups urged the Senate to oppose a discriminatory amendment to the House Labor, Health, and Human Services Appropriations bill that would put the health and…...
Atheist Groups Denounce Oklahoma’s Discriminatory Adoption and Foster Care Law
Oklahoma City, OK—Five national organizations representing atheists, agnostics, and the religiously unaffiliated—a rapidly growing group comprising of one quarter of Americans—today issued a statement condemning the recently-passed Oklahoma law which permits religiously run adoption agencies to discriminate based on their faith while still receiving taxpayer funding....
Atheists Denounce Appointment of Christian Supremacist Tony Perkins to Religious Freedom Commission
Washington, DC—In a statement today, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) announced that Tony Perkins, the president of the Family Research Council (FRC), was appointed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to a two-year term as a commissioner at the USCIRF. During his term, Perkins will remain…...
Trump Administration Continues Daily Assault on Religious Freedom
Washington, DC—At a ceremony in the White House Rose Garden today, President Donald Trump signed an executive order creating the “White House Faith and Opportunity Initiative,” an office that would further undermine religious freedom and pour even more taxpayer money into religious groups that are free to discriminate, have little…...
Atheists Decry Federal “Right to Discriminate” Bill
Washington, DC—This week, Rep. Raul Labrador (R-ID) will re-introduce the so-called First Amendment Defense Act (FADA) in the U.S. House of Representatives, a bill that would legalize and permit discrimination—including discrimination at the hands of federal employees—against LGBTQ people and unmarried parents on the basis of religious beliefs. A companion…...
American Atheists Submits Testimony Opposing Alabama Constitutional Amendment Allowing Ten Commandments
Montgomery, AL—On behalf of its constituents in Alabama, American Atheists submitted testimony opposing HB 144 and SB 181, bills that would seek to amend the Alabama Constitution to ostensibly allow Ten Commandments monuments to be placed on public land. These measures, however, would not change the fact that such monuments…...