mr. speaker , i rise in opposition to this amendment . 
the 1964 civil rights act explicitly protects the rights of religious organizations to take religion into account in their hiring practices . 
in fact , the civil rights act made clear that when faith-based organizations hire employees on a religious basis , it is an exercise of the organization 's civil liberties and does not constitute discrimination under federal law . 
the writers of that legislation understood that a church , a synagogue , a mosque all operate as distinctly religious organizations . 
they are , therefore , protected under the first amendment 's right to the free exercise of religion . 
why are we being asked today , then , to approve an amendment that revokes the constitutional right of faith-based communities to practice their religions freely ? 
this amendment would revoke the constitutionally protected right of faith-based groups to maintain their religious nature and character through those they hire . 
by denying the rights of religious organizations to hire according to their principles , this amendment declares war between the government and faith-based organizations , it cuts services for people in need , it eliminates the role of faith-based organizations in our government efforts to help . 
i doubt that the gentleman from virginia would support an amendment forcing him to hire staff who oppose his values and priorities as a legislator . 
why then are we being asked to call it discriminatory when a christian or muslim charity wants to consider the beliefs of potential employees before hiring them ? 
such practices have been upheld by the united states supreme court . 
if this amendment passes , we might as well revisit the civil rights act itself , since we would be rewriting it today . 
faith-based providers can not be expected to sustain their religious missions without the ability to employ individuals who share the tenets and practices of their faith . 
the success of any organization is having everyone on board with its essential principles and vision . 
the civil rights act secures that right , the supreme court protected it , and we should follow suit . 
this amendment should be defeated . 
