S593 Not for Me! Senator Kamala Harris Sponsors Bill That Would Gut Religious Exemptions
From Autism Action Network's John Gilmore:
Sen. Kamala Harris has a bill that threatens religious exemptions from vaccine mandates to attend school in every state. The “Do No Harm Act,” Senate Bill S. 593. prohibits people from refusing to comply with a law, regulation or policy because it would violate their religious beliefs. If passed it could be used in court to argue that exercising a religious exemption from vaccine mandates exposes other people to potential harm and “discriminates” against them. And if it can be used this way you know it will. It guts the First Amendment right to the free exercise of religion.
"The Do No Harm Act clarifies that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act is intended to protect religious freedom without allowing the infliction of harm on other people. It would amend RFRA in order to restore the original intent of the legislation by specifically exempting areas of law where RFRA has been used to bypass federal protections. Source: Human Rights Campaign.org" That's the loophole in play, if you or I use the religious exemption to refuse a vaccine, the argument will be that we can not, because refusal will inflict harm on other people. The slope has been greased and you're being pushed.
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Introduced in Senate (02/28/2019)
Do No Harm Act https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/593?s=1&r=81
This bill prohibits the application of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 (RFRA) to specified federal laws or the implementation of such laws. Currently, RFRA prohibits the government from substantially burdening a person's exercise of religion even if the burden results from a rule of general applicability, except in furtherance of a compelling governmental interest when using the least restrictive means.
Under the bill, RFRA is inapplicable to laws or the implementation of laws that
protect against discrimination or the promotion of equal opportunity (e.g., the Civil Rights Act of 1964);
require employers to provide wages, other compensation, or benefits, including leave;
protect collective activity in the workplace;
protect against child labor, abuse, or exploitation; or
provide for access to, information about, referrals for, provision of, or coverage for, any health care item or service.
The bill prevents RFRA from being used to deny (1) goods or services the government has contracted, granted, or made an agreement to provide to a beneficiary; or (2) a person's full and equal enjoyment of a government-provided good, service, benefit, facility, privilege, advantage, or accommodation.
In order for a person to assert a RFRA claim or defense in a judicial proceeding, the government must be a party to the proceeding.
I oppose S.593. Thank you for your vote to stop this destructive bill to religious freedom. Thank you!
Posted by: M. Gallmeyer | October 21, 2020 at 04:31 AM
To Science is Pure: Why don't you start searching for all the things Donald has done for this country and others. And why do all these politicians, who write and pass these bills become so very rich in the process, earning millions of dollars. It seems to me that we as citizens need to take back our country and are rights as human beings.
Posted by: Jo Ann Marsau | October 20, 2020 at 02:03 PM
Victoria J West,
That is one interpretation. But as John Gilmore states, it seems likely that despite not specifically mentioning vaccines, it could easily be used to take away religious exemptions.
If you are to ask which I am far more worried about, it is my family being forced to inject vaccines against our will. People can easily choose not to work for Hobby Lobby if they wish.
Posted by: Hera | September 18, 2020 at 12:59 AM
Why doesn't anyone know what RFRA is, to whom it applies and why it does not affect any state level legislation? Please don't go hysterical over this without understanding what it is! (FOR INFORMATION: FEDERAL RFRA does NOT apply to states. FEDERAL RFRA was used to allow Holly Hobby to deny birth control under a FEDERAL program. It is to STOP participants in government programs from invoking THEIR "religious" rights AGAINST YOU...like refusing maternity care for a single mother, like refusing to treat a person who is a practicing Muslim. IT SAYS NOTHING about vaccines.
The states that have curtailed religious exemptions DO NOT HAVE state level RFRAs. This legislation would have zero impact on state level RFRA application.
Posted by: Victoria J West | September 17, 2020 at 08:01 PM
The very reason that Kamala Harris (Whose lawyer husband represented the Pharmaceutical Corp. MERCK) was placed selected to run for the Vice Presidency was so that more vaccines could be forced upon you and more rights to say no could be removed. Kamala Harris's S.593 bill; Senate Bill S.593 is the proof that her campaign is a sell out. The US was based on Religious Rights and those rights are almost gone. Under this bill your Religious Exemptions to vaccines will be Removed. This meAns that even if it is against your religion to Abort fetuses, you will be forced to get shot with Tumorigenic Aborted Human Fetal Cell DNA which some say is Cannibalistic. If you are HALAL or Kosher, you will be forced to get shot with PIG Cells. If your religion deems cows to be sacred-you are out of luck because you'll be shot with cow cells. If you are Vegan by belief the blood of Horseshoe crabs, Dog Kidney cells, monkey cells and insects will be forced upon you.
If you are just plain concerned about Cancer; 1 in 285 kids have cancer these days. The Salk Polio vaccine was made using CERVICAL CANCER CELLS too bad for you. One in TWO Men and One in Three women get cancer in the US which began when the Salk vaccine was demanded of everyone. Dr Sherri Tenpenny said that during the Polio Outbreak (1950's-60's) 0.0021% had paralysis. It was announced on today's Highwire Show with Del Bigtree. Most had no symptoms, it just came and went. I believe as many of the informed do, that the Polio vaccine brainwashed our country and as a result more and more vaccines have seriously harmed or killed more and children and adults. Too bad the federal vaccine court has paid out $4 BILLION 400 Million dollars so far to the injured and dead yet less than 1% of the people ever heard about it. Its NOT on MAINSTREAM NEWS!!
Posted by: Shelley Tzorfas | September 17, 2020 at 04:45 PM
Bob thanks for the chuckle. You are so very right! Irony is rampant!
Posted by: Benedetta | September 17, 2020 at 12:46 PM
The name of the bill points to the last of the five bullet points being its chief aim, at least as far as its chief lobby is concerned.
Donald has been doing a lot to discourage me from voting for him recently, but now this.
Posted by: Science is pure. | September 17, 2020 at 11:44 AM
Victoria Melbourne has proposed a law to detain anyone who is critical of vaccines.
Or anything they deeem doesnt tie with their narrative. NOT JOKING
1939-45
Posted by: Hans Litten | September 17, 2020 at 11:24 AM
Bernie Sanders just signed on 9/16/20.
Bill was entered in 2/19.
Ugh, all demon rats co-sponsored.
Posted by: jessica mcgovern | September 17, 2020 at 11:19 AM
Do No Harm Act harms the American ethic.
Posted by: greyone | September 17, 2020 at 10:24 AM
Bob
I always loved the UK Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2001 which of course was an extension of investigatory powers act. One hilarious aspect of the Blair years that the mainstream media virtually never reported on the legislative program - without the internet we would have known nothing.
Posted by: John Stone | September 17, 2020 at 10:20 AM
It never ceases to amaze me … whenever a bill is "named" .. the intention of the bill is almost always the EXACT OPPOSITE of what they name the bill. Such as this latest example .. named 'DO NO HARM" ACT. I mean who would be opposed to an act named DO NO HARM?
It is ORWELLIAN to name a bill that if passed will surely HARM MANY …. THE ABSOLUTE LEAST OF THOSE HARMS WILL BE DENYING PEOPLE THEIR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.
Posted by: Bob Moffit | September 17, 2020 at 07:52 AM
They need this new Law passed because Americans are "still too smart" to get on railroad cars to vaccine camps.
Again, simply releasing the Gardasil & vaccine records of some of the recent presidential children would tell the story rather well.
Posted by: go Trump | September 17, 2020 at 07:21 AM