[20200403]IF11490_宗教自由恢复法案：基础.pdf

https:/crsreports.congress.gov April 3, 2020The Religious Freedom Restoration Act: A PrimerThe Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 (RFRA) establishes rights beyond those protections afforded by the Constitutions free exercise clause by creating a heightened standard of review for government actions that substantially burden a persons exercise of religion. This In Focus provides an overview of the statute, including its origins, how it operates, and how the Supreme Court has interpreted the law since its passage. Background The First Amendment provides that the government “shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” According to the Supreme Court, the clause protects individuals right to exercise their religion of choice and prohibits government regulations that target religious beliefs. The free exercise clause protects not only religious beliefs but acts involved with religious practice. Under the clause, the government may not compel religious belief, punish religious expression, or impose regulations that favor one religion over another. The Supreme Courts interpretation of whether the clause requires religious acc