FRC's Tony Perkins Applauds President Trump's EO Creating a White House Faith Initiative

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May 03, 2018, 02:17 ET

WASHINGTON, May 3, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Family Research Council President Tony Perkins attended today's White House National Day of Prayer event where President Trump signed an executive order creating a White House faith initiative. The event also commemorated the one year anniversary of President Trump's executive order protecting religious expression throughout the federal government. A Family Research Council analysis released yesterday finds that the order enabled charities and other entities to provide up to 13.7 million people with health care and other social services. The order has enabled at least 44 schools that provide an education for more than 148,000 students to continue operating.

Mr. Perkins commented on the Trump administration's newest executive order further restoring the nation's First Freedom of religious liberty:

"The announcement of President Trump's faith initiative is further evidence that this administration is not only committed to protecting our First Freedom but in also acknowledging that our faith in God contributes to the guidance and well-being of our country. I look forward to working with the president to make sure the community of faith will be able to bring hope and help to people in the United States and around the globe.

"No more fitting example of religious freedom can be found than the story of John Ponder, a convicted bank robber and Richard Beasley, the FBI agent who arrested him. As President Trump shared this morning, Richard went to John's home the day after his release from prison to let him know he had and was praying for him. Having accepted Christ in prison as a result of reading the Bible and hearing the words of Billy Graham, John and Richard developed a remarkable friendship. John now runs the Hope for Prisoners ministry.

"No longer are Americans punished or excluded from the public square because of their faith, rather they are welcomed and protected by our government," Perkins concluded.

To read FRC's publication "One Year Later: The Impact of President Trump's Executive Order Protecting Religious Liberty," please see: https://downloads.frc.org/EF/EF18E03.pdf

SOURCE Family Research Council