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Congressional Freethought Caucus

What does the Congressional Freethought Caucus do?

The Congressional Freethought Caucus’s mission is to:

  1. Promote public policy formed on the basis of reason, evidence, science, and strong moral values;
  2. Protect the secular character of our government by adhering to the strict constitutional principle of the separation of church and state;
  3. Oppose government discrimination against atheists, agnostics, humanists, seekers, religious and nonreligious persons, and to champion the value of freedom of thought and conscience worldwide; and
  4. Provide a forum for members of Congress to discuss their moral frameworks, ethical values, and personal religious journeys.

Why is it important for Members of Congress to join?

Our Founders prohibited governmental “establishment of religion,” protected the individual’s “free exercise” of religion, banned religious tests for public office, and protected the freedoms of speech, press, conscience and assembly in our Constitution.

Our Founders separated state and church to protect a pluralistic democracy and human rights, as well as to advance science and technology and to guard the rights of individual conscience and worship. The Congressional Freethought Caucus’ mission is to uphold these values.

The presence of the Caucus reflects the acknowledgment of a wider trend in American society: Non-religious Americans — the so-called “Nones” — are the fastest-growing demographic by religious identification, now making up more than a quarter of the country, but are vastly underrepresented in our legislatures.


Caucus Members

 Schakowsky   Rep. Jan Schakowsky    District: IL-9
Jared Huffman    Rep. Jared Huffman    District: CA-2
Jamie Raskin   Rep. Jamie Raskin   District: MD-8
Steve Cohen   Rep. Steve Cohen   District: TN-9
Pramila Jayapal   Rep. Pramila Jayapal   District: WA-7
Hank Johnson   Rep. Hank Johnson   District: GA-4
Dan Kildee   Rep. Dan Kildee   District: MI-5
Zoe Lofgren   Rep. Zoe Lofgren   District: CA-19
Mullins   Rep. Kevin Mullin   District: CA-15
Eleanor Holmes Norton Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton   District: DC
Mark Pocan   Rep. Mark Pocan   District: WI-2
Susan Wild   Rep. Susan Wild   District: PA-7
Sean Casten   Rep. Sean Casten   District: IL-6
Rashida Tlaib   Rep. Rashida Tlaib   District: MI-13
Don Beyer     Rep. Don Beyer     District: VA-8
  Rep. Jimmy Gomez   District: CA-34
Julia Brownley    Rep. Julia Brownley    District: CA-26

Freedom From Religion Foundation