politics
Federal Commission Releases Draft Report Recommending Expanded Religious Liberty Measures and New Federal Task Forces
A 224-page draft outlines new federal task forces, guidance and enforcement steps after seven hearings and testimony from over 100 witnesses. The document was delivered to the White House on June 26 and is open for public comment through July 12.
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A federal advisory commission released a 224-page draft report on June 26 that recommends new federal measures to expand protections for religious expression in public institutions. The report was presented to the White House after seven public hearings and testimony from more than 100 witnesses.
The commission proposed creating a religious liberty task force inside the Justice Department and issuing new guidance on the Establishment Clause.
It called on the Justice Department, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to publish "Know Your Rights" materials and set up reporting hotlines. The report also urged the Justice Department and Health and Human Services to form a Parental Rights Task Force.
Additional recommendations include repealing the Johnson Amendment, strengthening enforcement against antisemitic discrimination and restoring retirement benefits for service members discharged after objecting to COVID-19 vaccines on religious grounds.
The commission advised federal Offices of Civil Rights and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to adopt expedited timelines for investigating religious discrimination complaints. "Although their circumstances differed, their stories shared a common theme: far too often in our national life, religion is treated not as a protected and valued contribution to public life, but as a problem or annoyance to be managed, restricted, or sidelined," the draft report stated.
The commission was established by executive order in May 2025 and was directed to deliver a report on the history and state of religious liberty by July 4, 2026.
A 15-day public comment period runs through July 12, after which the commission will hold a virtual public meeting to review submissions before finalizing the document. Interfaith Alliance and other groups released a separate report on June 15 that presents an alternative view centered on interfaith solidarity.
