CV NEWS FEED // President Donald Trump on May 1 established the Religious Liberty Commission through an executive order, in an effort to guarantee the religious rights of Americans. The announcement coincided with the annual National Day of Prayer.
“The Commission is tasked with producing a comprehensive report on the foundations of religious liberty in America, strategies to increase awareness of and celebrate America’s peaceful religious pluralism, current threats to religious liberty, and strategies to preserve and enhance protections for future generations,” a White House fact sheet states.
The commission will focus on parental rights, school choice, conscience protections, attacks on houses of worship, free speech for religious entities, and institutional autonomy, the White House adds.
The commission will also be responsible for advising the White House Faith Office and the Domestic Policy Council on policies regarding religious freedom by recommending legislative and executive measures to protect First Amendment rights.
Trump appointed Bishop Robert Barron of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester to serve on the commission.
Bishop Barron thanked Trump in an X post, writing, “Freedom of religion in our country has been a central concern of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops for decades, and I see my task as bringing the perspective of Catholic social teaching to bear as the Commission endeavors to shape public policy in this matter.”
I am grateful to President Trump for appointing me to serve on the Commission on Religious Liberty. Freedom of religion in our country has been a central concern of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops for decades, and I see my task as bringing the perspective of…
— Bishop Robert Barron (@BishopBarron) May 1, 2025
The Daily Wire reports that Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick will serve as the committee chair and Dr. Ben Carson will serve as vice chair. Besides Bishop Barron, other commission members include Ethics and Public Policy Center President Ryan Anderson, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Pastor Franklin Graham, Pastor Paula White, Gibson Dunn partner Allyson Ho, and Rabbi Meier Soloveichik.