Louisiana House Bill HCR175

Louisiana 2013 Regular Session

• Introduced: 5/30/13
• Engrossed: 5/30/13
• Passed: 6/2/13

Caption

Requests congress to codify into law a standard for religious freedom

Impact

If realized, the resolution calls for the codification of specific conscience protections as mandated by Section 533 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013. These protections should ensure that military personnel are permitted to engage in religious speech, including noncoercive proselytizing, without compromising the good order and discipline vital to military operations. The implementation of such measures is anticipated to solidify the status of religious expression among service members, aligning military practices with constitutional freedoms.

Summary

House Concurrent Resolution 175 (HCR175) is a legislative measure that urges the United States Congress to enact a standard of religious freedom to be applied uniformly across all branches of the United States military. The resolution emphasizes the importance of the freedom of religion as enshrined in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, highlighting that the military has historically fought to protect this fundamental right. Proponents argue that recent reports suggest a rising intolerance towards religious expression within the military, prompting the need for clearer protections.

Sentiment

The sentiment surrounding HCR175 appears to stem from a defensive posture regarding religious liberties in the military context. Supporters view the resolution as a necessary step to safeguard the rights of service members to freely express their religious beliefs without fear of reprimand or exclusion. Critics may remain concerned about the potential for such measures to create conflicts between religious expression and the principles of military discipline; however, the specifics of such criticism were not prominently featured in the discussions surrounding this resolution.

Contention

The most significant points of contention regarding HCR175 pertain to the balance between individual freedoms and military discipline. While supporters assert that the resolution outlines essential protections for service members, skeptics argue that implementing broad religious freedoms could lead to disruptions within the ranks and interfere with unit cohesion. The resolution ultimately calls for Congress to act on behalf of military service members, but it reflects a tension about the extent to which religious expression should be accommodated in a structured military environment.