THE FREEDOM OF CONSCIENCE ACT 
 

110th CONGRESS

1st Session 

H. R.________ 
 

A BILL  

To recognize the Free Right of Conscience of all American citizens; to respect the fundamental human right to manifest freedom of thought, conscience, and religion;

 

To accommodate those persons whose sincere religious and moral beliefs are violated when federal tax revenues are used to intentionally extinguish human life by the use of lethal force; to provide that the federal income, estate, or gift tax payments made by such citizens of conscience are allocated to humanitarian purposes in furtherance of   community security; to create the Community Security Compensation Fund as a repository for such payments; to improve federal revenue collection; and for other purposes.  

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1.  SHORT TITLE

This Act may be cited as the "Freedom of Conscience Act".

 

 

SECTION 2.  FINDINGS

Congress finds the following:  

      (1) The free exercise of religion and the liberty of individual conscience are unalienable rights guaranteed to all Americans by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, and are rights 'retained by the people', as guaranteed in constitutions of various sovereign states, and as protected by the Ninth Amendment of the United States Constitution. 

      (2) Congress reaffirmed the civil and natural rights of individual citizens in the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993, which prohibits the federal government from imposing a substantial burden on the exercise of sincere religious belief unless it can demonstrate that a compelling state interest is being achieved by the least restrictive means.  

      (3) Many people immigrated to North America to escape religious persecution in other parts of the world.  The United States of America has been a haven for those seeking religious liberty and the freedom of conscience.  These values were cultivated and protected by the founders of our nation, in various state constitutions, and in the federal constitution. 

      (4) Respect and accommodation for individual conscience is one of the pillars of our American culture, and can continue to be a foundational strength. 

      (5) The American people promote peace and defend the value of human life and liberty above all.   Many Americans believe human life, at every phase, is unique and beautiful, and that every person is a child of a loving God.  Many Americans believe that conscience and faith in God must guide decisions about the taking of human life.  Still more Americans believe that national security interests can be promoted by using the soft power of collective nonviolent action rather than the hard power of violent military force. 

      (6) The conscience of many Americans is violated when they are compelled by the federal government to support the intentional taking of human life. 

      (7) The federal government violates the conscience of many American taxpayers by burdening them to provide direct funding that is used for military preparations and war. 

      (8) The federal government violates the conscience of many American taxpayers by burdening them to provide funding that is used to extinguish the lives of the unborn. 

      (9) The federal government violates the conscience of many American taxpayers by burdening them to provide funding that is used for capital punishment.   

      (10) Conscientious objection to direct funding or participation in federal use of lethal force, based on moral, ethical, or religious beliefs, has been recognized and protected by American law since the inception of free states.  However, provisions for religious tolerance and the accommodation of individual conscience have become neglected and ignored by the federal government over the course of time. 

      (11) It is therefore the intent and purpose of this Act to prevent the federal government from any further violation of the conscientious beliefs of many sincere Americans. 

      (12) The Community Security Compensation Fund is hereby created and administered for the common use of all those citizens who are compelled by conscience to be free of any financial support of the taking of human life; and who also willingly support those volunteers that have suffered from physical or psychological injury as a result of service in the protection and enhancement of community security. 

SECTION 3.  DEFINITIONS (a) Citizen of Conscience- For purposes of this Act, the term `citizen of conscience' means a citizen taxpayer who is compelled by conscience to oppose any use of their federal tax payments for the intentional taking of human life. 

(b) Humanitarian Purpose- For purposes of this Act, the term 'humanitarian purpose' means any medical, educational, activity or program which provides support and funding for American citizens or residents who have suffered traumatic physical or psychological harm as a result of volunteer service.

 

 

 

SECTION 4.   COMMUNITY SECURITY COMPENSATION FUND

 

(a) Establishment- The Secretary of the Treasury shall establish an account in the Treasury of the United States to be known as the `Community Security Compensation Fund', for the deposit of income, gift, and estate taxes paid by or on behalf of citizens of conscience.  The method of deposit shall be prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury in a manner that minimizes the cost to the Treasury and does not impose an undue burden on such taxpayers. 

(b) Use of the Community Security Compensation Fund - Monies deposited in the Fund shall be allocated evenly to every Member of Congress annually for humanitarian purpose.   

Additionally, the funds will be distributed to local programs which support all forms of rehabilitation including but not limited to: returned military veterans; members of the national guard, army reserves, or coast guard; peace corps volunteers; emergency first responders; or any other American citizen or resident who suffered personal injury as a result of volunteer service in the maintenance of the safety and security of their communities.   

An example of an appropriate use of Community Security Compensation Fund monies would be support for the health care program of the Mt. Sinai Medical Center in Manhattan, New York that was established for 9/11 first responders who now have developed chronic illnesses as a result of their volunteer community service. 

(c) Reports- The Secretary of the Treasury shall report to the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate each year on the total amount deposited into the Community Security Compensation Fund during the preceding fiscal year.  Each Member of Congress will report to the General Accounting Office on the specific use of the funds that were allocated to them for distribution, and a full report listing all such distributions shall be published annually for the general information of the American public. 

(d) Sense of Congress- It is the sense of Congress that any increase in revenue to the Treasury resulting from the creation of the Community Security Compensation Fund shall be allocated only in a manner consistent with the purposes of the Fund.