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Top lawmakers rallied bipartisan support for the “Right to Worship Act” at a Capitol Hill press conference on Wednesday, highlighting why legislation establishing 100-foot protest-free buffer zones around religious institutions was vitally needed amid rising antisemitism across the United States.
The “Right to Worship Act” (H.R. 10052 and S.5289), backed by Rep. Tom Suozzi (D NY-3), Rep. Brad Knott (R NC-13), Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), was introduced in Congress last month.
Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) President of U.S. Affairs Alyza D. Lewin was among the organizational representatives and interfaith community leaders who spoke in favor of the bill at Wednesday’s event.
“America was founded by individuals who came to these shores seeking religious freedom,” Lewin said. “The right to worship, free from harassment and discrimination, was paramount. More recently, however, in America, speech has been protected at the expense of religious liberty. Harassers have been emboldened, while the faithful have been abandoned.”
“This is particularly true for the Jewish community,” she added. “In the aftermath of October 7th , Jews have had to endure violent threats and intimidating harassment just to enter synagogues to practice their faith and gather as a community.”
“We place buffer zones around polling stations so that individuals can complete their ballots in peace — without being heckled or intimidated,” Lewin noted. “Surely religious worship, an activity covered by the First Amendment, deserves as much protection as voting. Americans must be able to practice their faith free from harassment and intimidation.”
“The ‘Right to Worship Act’ protects two First Amendment rights — to speech and to the free exercise of religion,” she added. “By balancing both of these rights, the bill ensures that Jews, and members of all faiths, are able to worship and study in peace.”
“We commend Representatives Suozzi and Knott and Senators Cruz and Slotkin for their bipartisan leadership and look forward to Congress swiftly advancing this common-sense measure into law,” Lewin concluded.
Congressman Suozzi said, “Exercising your right to worship should not require you to exhibit particular courage as you enter your synagogue, church, mosque, temple, mandir, or gurdwara. I will always stand up for people’s right to protest peacefully, but attendees of religious services should not be harassed, threatened, intimidated, or targeted for practicing their faith. I am proud to lead this bipartisan and bicameral ‘Right to Worship Act’ that both protects free speech and the freedom to worship.”
“The breadth of support for the ‘Right to Worship Act’ is very gratifying,” Congressman Suozzi continued. “So many groups recognize the horrifying reality that the threat to the freedom to worship is not unique to any one faith or congregation. Every religious community feels it, which is why this bill will protect everybody. I’m proud to stand with such a broad coalition of faith leaders united behind this essential legislation to safeguard the right to worship for every religious community on Long Island, in Queens, and across America.”
Representative Knott stated, “Whether you’re in conservative America, liberal America, red America, or blue America, our Constitution considers your individual right to worship as you see fit. In every corner of this country, that right is being threatened. If people in the United States cannot worship, we do not have a First Amendment. And the right to worship is under attack.”
“I commend Representative Suozzi for his monumental effort in assembling this team behind us and across the country that was so valuable in crafting this legislation that protects the rights of people who want to speak and protest peacefully,” Representative Knott added. “And it protects the rights of those who want to worship.”
In addition to CAM, other organizations participating in Wednesday’s press conference included: Jewish Federations of North America, American Jewish Committee, Orthodox Union, Anti-Defamation League, Hadassah, Agudath Israel of America, StandWithUs, National Association of Evangelicals, American Muslim & Multifaith Women’s Empowerment Council, Hindu American Foundation, United Sikhs, BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, and Coalition of Hindus of North America.
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