The Honorable Trent Lott
Majority Leader
487 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510 

and  

The Honorable Thomas A. Daschle
Minority Leader
509 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senator Lott and Senator Daschle:  

We, the undersigned organizations write to express our strong concern that consideration of the Religious Liberty Protection Act ("RLPA"), S.2081, by the full Senate without a complete committee process would preclude comprehensive analysis of a number of important issues implicated by the bill. As currently drafted, RLPA could have unintended yet potentially harmful effects. We believe that the committee process is necessary to ensure that any such effects of this important bill are fully examined.

We recognize the need to ensure appropriate safeguards against governmental burdens on the free exercise of religious beliefs and we support the development and implementation of such safeguards. We therefore endorse the fundamental principles RLPA seeks to achieve. We believe, however, that properly drafted legislation could accomplish the goal of protecting religious free exercise without harmful unintended consequences.

The procedure employed to place S.2081 on the Senate calendar has permitted the bill to circumvent the regular committee process. As a consequence, a broad range of organizations will be unable to provide in-depth analysis of the possible effects of RLPA or to offer means to avoid potential unintended harms. Without a committee process the Senate cannot conduct a complete examination of the totality of potential consequences of RLPA or give serious consideration to modifications that might prevent harmful effects.

The full extent of possible effects of RLPA and the efficacy of possible solutions to any problems that may be identified should be evaluated through the regular Judiciary Committee process. Consideration of S.2081 by the full Senate without the complete committee process would thwart ongoing efforts by our organizations and your colleagues to identify and propose means to ensure strong safeguards of our "First Freedom" without creating harmful consequences.

Thank you for your consideration of our views.

Sincerely,

Wade Henderson
Executive Director
LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE ON CIVIL RIGHTS  

Jeff Jacobs
Director Government Affairs
AIDS ACTION 

Laura Murphy
Director, Washington National Office
AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION 

Barry W. Lynn
Executive Director
AMERICANS UNITED FOR SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE 

Robert Bernstein
Executive Director
BAZELON CENTER FOR MENTAL HEALTH LAW 

Leslie R. Wolfe
President
CENTER FOR WOMEN'S POLICY STUDIES 

Pat Wright
Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, Inc.
and Co-Chair,
CONSORTIUM FOR CITIZENS WITH DISABILITIES RIGHTS TASK FORCE 

Curtis Decker
National Association of Protection and Advocacy Systems
and Co-Chair,
CONSORTIUM FOR CITIZENS WITH DISABILITIES RIGHTS TASK FORCE 

Mark Richert
American Foundation for the Blind
and Co-Chair,
CONSORTIUM FOR CITIZENS WITH DISABILITIES RIGHTS TASK FORCE 

Tom Hart
Director
EPISCOPAL CHURCH OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT RELATIONS  

Elizabeth Birch
Executive Director
HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN 

Elaine R. Jones
Director/Counsel
NAACP LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATIONAL FUND, INC. 

Hilary Shelton
Director, Washington Bureau
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLE  

Jan Schneiderman
National President
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF JEWISH WOMEN  

Lisa Wright
Acting Director, Washington Office
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF THE CHURCHES OF CHRIST IN THE USA  

Shanna Smith
Executive Director
NATIONAL FAIR HOUSING ALLIANCE  

Kerry Lobel
Executive Director
NATIONAL GAY AND LESBIAN TASK FORCE  

Kim Gandy
Executive Vice President
NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR WOMEN  

Judith L. Lichtman
President
NATIONAL PARTNERSHIP FOR WOMEN & FAMILIES  

Marcia Greenberger
Co-President
NATIONAL WOMEN'S LAW CENTER 

Ralph G. Neas
President
PEOPLE FOR THE AMERICAN WAY  

Elenora Giddings Ivory
Director, Washington Office
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH  

Rabbi David Saperstein
Director and Counsel
RELIGIOUS ACTION CENTER OF REFORM JUDAISM  

Meg A. Riley
Director
UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST ASSOCIATION OF CONGREGATIONS  

Reverend Jay Lintner
Director, Washington Office
UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST OFFICE FOR CHURCH IN SOCIETY  

Sarrae Crane
Director, Committee on Social Action and Public Policy
UNITED SYNAGOGUES OF CONSERVATIVE JUDAISM  

Roderic Boggs
Executive Director
WASHINGTON LAWYERS' COMMITTEE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS AND URBAN AFFAIRS  

Lina Srescas Dobbs
Executive Director
WIDER OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN