NRB's Craig Parshall Testifies Before Senate Committee

Before Senate Committee Today

NATIONAL RELIGIOUS BROADCASTERS (NRB) presented its opposition today to the Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2011 (ENDA) before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP).  The NRB is predicting that the bill which creates new employment rights for persons based on their sexual orientation or gender identity would assault the rights of Christian organizations if it is passed.

"ENDA is just one more example of a growing trend where 'discrimination' laws collide head-on with fundamental rights of religious organizations. Full protection of religious liberties ought to be a first priority for our lawmakers in WASHINGTON," said NRB Pres./CEO Dr. FRANK WRIGHT.

NRB VP/General Counsel CRAIG PARSHALL stated in his testimony before the SENATE HELP Committee TODAY (6/12) that "ENDA would impose a stunningly heavy constitutional burden on religious organizations and would interfere with their ability to pursue their mission.  While ENDA has a so-called religious 'exemption' provision in its text, that language fails to provide any assurance of real protection for religious employers.  Creating meaningful exemptions for religious organizations so that intrusive government regulations don't collide with their First Amendment liberties is not a legislative prerogative, it is a constitutional mandate."

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