{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.inhofe.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/inhofe-requests-dod-to-report-plans-to-protect-religious-freedom", "Inhofe Requests DOD to Report Plans to Protect Religious Freedom", "2013-12-19", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "OK", "James Inhofe", "I000024", "www.inhofe.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Inhofe Requests DOD to Report Plans to Protect Religious Freedom\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThursday, December 19, 2013\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), ranking member of Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), Wednesday sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel requesting he report the current status of what he is doing to protect religious freedom within the Department of Defense (DOD). In the letter, Inhofe references section 533(c) of the FY\u201913 National Defense Authorization Act that instructs the Secretary of Defense to issue regulations to help protect religious belief and expression in the Armed Services.\r\n\u201cI have received numerous e-mails, phone calls, and visits from Oklahomans and military members concerned about how the Obama Administration appears to be stifling religious freedom within our Armed Services,\u201d said Inhofe. \u201cThe most recent incident was this past week when a nativity scene at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base was ordered to be taken down. It is concerning that a place that goes great lengths to\u00a0accommodate\u00a0other religions \u2013 including providing Korans, prayer rugs, and special meals to meet religious dietary needs for detainees \u2013 would then restrict the religious expression of American soldiers and sailors celebrating Christmas. As we\u2019ve seen in the media, we have also heard of the Air Force officer who was instructed to remove his bible from his desk out of belief that it was making others 'uncomfortable.' As a veteran, I know that military members are some of the most religious people in our nation. They understand key elements of most all religions: commitment, devotion, and sacrifice. Our men and women in uniform should never be put in a position by their country as to which they should follow, God or their Commander-in-Chief. The Senate Armed Services Committee has put provisions in place to ensure religious intolerance doesn\u2019t take place, and I hope Sec. Hagel will quickly respond to the concerns not only I have but many of his own men and women in uniform.\u201d\r\nThe text of the letter is available by clicking here.\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.inhofe.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/inhofe-requests-dod-to-report-plans-to-protect-religious-freedom"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.3783499598503113, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}