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January 16th has been proclaimed to be ‘Religious Freedom Day’ by Presidential Proclamation every year since the George H.W. Bush administration in 1993. We, the undersigned, support the drafting and passage of legislation that would make ‘Religious Freedom Day’ a permanent national (not federal) holiday.

The first legal statements to guarantee religious freedom were written in the Virginia Declaration of Rights, 1776 and later in the Statute for Religious Freedom for Virginia, January 16, 1786. These religious rights were later included in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1791. The inclusion of religious freedom is largely due to the genius and persistence of three men - George Mason, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison with the enduring support of all of our founding fathers These sentiments of freedom and these great men deserve the highest recognition and celebration that a national holiday designation would bring:
~As a national holiday, ‘Religious Freedom Day’ could be printed on our calendars.
~Communities, congregations, neighbors and friends of different faiths can get together for a shared, pot-luck style meal - to celebrate their religious freedom and to appreciate each other.
~Religious Freedom Day Celebrations often take place on the 2nd weekend in January. It pairs well with the Martin Luther King Day Holiday which is on the third weekend in January.

Thank you for your support for National Religious Freedom Day!

Dear

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