United States · Bill · S
S. 578 (103rd)
Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993
Introduced
11 March 1993
Last action
27 October 1993 · Floor
Status
Indefinitely postponed by Senate by Unanimous Consent.
Sponsors
Sen. Kennedy, Edward M. [D-MA], Sen. Hatch, Orrin G. [R-UT], Sen. Bennett, Robert F. [R-UT], Sen. Bond, Christopher S. [R-MO], Sen. Bradley, Bill [D-NJ], Sen. Bumpers, Dale [D-AR], Sen. Campbell, Ben Nighthorse [R-CO], Sen. Danforth, John C. [R-MO], Sen. Daschle, Thomas A. [D-SD], Sen. Exon, J. James [D-NE], Sen. Feingold, Russell D. [D-WI], Sen. Feinstein, Dianne [D-CA], Sen. Graham, Bob [D-FL], Sen. Harkin, Tom [D-IA], Sen. Hatfield, Mark O. [R-OR], Sen. Jeffords, James M. [I-VT], Sen. Kassebaum, Nancy Landon [R-KS], Sen. Kerry, John F. [D-MA], Sen. Lautenberg, Frank R. [D-NJ], Sen. Levin, Carl [D-MI], Sen. Lieberman, Joseph I. [ID-CT], Sen. Metzenbaum, Howard M. [D-OH], Sen. Mikulski, Barbara A. [D-MD], Sen. Moseley-Braun, Carol [D-IL], Sen. Moynihan, Daniel Patrick [D-NY], Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA], Sen. Packwood, Bob [R-OR], Sen. Pell, Claiborne [D-RI], Sen. Reid, Harry [D-NV], Sen. Riegle, Donald W., Jr. [D-MI], Sen. Specter, Arlen [R-PA], Sen. Wellstone, Paul D. [D-MN], Sen. Wofford, Harris [D-PA], Sen. Kohl, Herb [D-WI], Sen. Sarbanes, Paul S. [D-MD], Sen. Boxer, Barbara [D-CA], Sen. DeConcini, Dennis [D-AZ], Sen. Sasser, Jim [D-TN], Sen. Inouye, Daniel K. [D-HI], Sen. Brown, Hank [R-CO], Sen. Cohen, William S. [R-ME], Sen. Kempthorne, Dirk [R-ID], Sen. Pryor, David H. [D-AR], Sen. Kerrey, J. Robert [D-NE], Sen. McConnell, Mitch [R-KY], Sen. Dodd, Christopher J. [D-CT], Sen. Durenberger, Dave [R-MN], Sen. Akaka, Daniel K. [D-HI]
Subjects
Discovery layer
Source updated
10 August 2026
Summary
Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 - Prohibits any agency, department, or official of the United States or any State (the government) from burdening a person's exercise of religion even if the burden results from a rule of general applicability, except that the government may burden a person's exercise of religion only if it demonstrates that application of the burden to the person: (1) furthers a compelling governmental interest; and (2) is the least restrictive means of furthering that compelling governmental interest. Sets forth provisions pertaining to judicial relief, attorney's fees, and applicability.
This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.
Timeline
11 March 1993
Introduced
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
Source: IntroReferral
11 March 1993
Introduced
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2822-2824)
Source: IntroReferral
11 March 1993
Introduced
Introduced in Senate
Source: IntroReferral
6 May 1993
Reported
Committee on Judiciary. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
Source: Committee
27 July 1993
Calendars
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 163.
Source: Calendars
27 July 1993
Reported
Committee on Judiciary. Reported to Senate by Senator Biden without amendment. With written report No. 103-111. Additional views filed.
Source: Committee
27 July 1993
Reported
Committee on Judiciary. Reported to Senate by Senator Biden without amendment. With written report No. 103-111. Additional views filed.
Source: Committee
26 October 1993
Floor
Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S14350-14368)
Source: Floor
27 October 1993
Floor
Considered by Senate. (consideration: CR S14461-14470)
Source: Floor
Votes
No vote records are attached yet.
Versions
- Reported to Senate · 27 July 1993 · Download file
- Introduced in Senate · 11 March 1993 · Download file
Documents
6 official files
Reported to Senate (text)
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Indefinitely postponed in Senate
summary · EN · 27 October 1993
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Documentvertaling op verzoek met downloadbare PDF (logo + link naar de officiële bron). Het bronbestand blijft leidend.
Reported to Senate (text)
Reported to Senate · EN · 27 July 1993
Reported to Senate (PDF)
Reported to Senate · EN · 27 July 1993
ViewDownloadOpen at official source
Leesvertaling
Vertaal dit document naar jouw taal. PoliticalRepo bewaart geen aparte kopie per EU-taal.
Documentvertaling op verzoek met downloadbare PDF (logo + link naar de officiële bron). Het bronbestand blijft leidend.
Introduced in Senate (text)
Introduced in Senate · EN · 11 March 1993
ViewDownloadOpen at official source
Leesvertaling
Vertaal dit document naar jouw taal. PoliticalRepo bewaart geen aparte kopie per EU-taal.
Documentvertaling op verzoek met downloadbare PDF (logo + link naar de officiële bron). Het bronbestand blijft leidend.
Introduced in Senate (PDF)
Introduced in Senate · EN · 11 March 1993
ViewDownloadOpen at official source
Leesvertaling
Vertaal dit document naar jouw taal. PoliticalRepo bewaart geen aparte kopie per EU-taal.
Documentvertaling op verzoek met downloadbare PDF (logo + link naar de officiële bron). Het bronbestand blijft leidend.
Introduced in Senate
summary · EN · 11 March 1993
Leesvertaling
Vertaal dit document naar jouw taal. PoliticalRepo bewaart geen aparte kopie per EU-taal.
Documentvertaling op verzoek met downloadbare PDF (logo + link naar de officiële bron). Het bronbestand blijft leidend.
Sponsors
- Sen. Kennedy, Edward M. [D-MA] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Hatch, Orrin G. [R-UT] · R · Sponsor
- Sen. Bennett, Robert F. [R-UT] · R · Sponsor
- Sen. Bond, Christopher S. [R-MO] · R · Sponsor
- Sen. Bradley, Bill [D-NJ] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Bumpers, Dale [D-AR] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Campbell, Ben Nighthorse [R-CO] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Danforth, John C. [R-MO] · R · Sponsor
- Sen. Daschle, Thomas A. [D-SD] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Exon, J. James [D-NE] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Feingold, Russell D. [D-WI] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Feinstein, Dianne [D-CA] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Graham, Bob [D-FL] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Harkin, Tom [D-IA] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Hatfield, Mark O. [R-OR] · R · Sponsor
- Sen. Jeffords, James M. [I-VT] · R · Sponsor
- Sen. Kassebaum, Nancy Landon [R-KS] · R · Sponsor
- Sen. Kerry, John F. [D-MA] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Lautenberg, Frank R. [D-NJ] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Levin, Carl [D-MI] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Lieberman, Joseph I. [ID-CT] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Metzenbaum, Howard M. [D-OH] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Mikulski, Barbara A. [D-MD] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Moseley-Braun, Carol [D-IL] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Moynihan, Daniel Patrick [D-NY] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Packwood, Bob [R-OR] · R · Sponsor
- Sen. Pell, Claiborne [D-RI] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Reid, Harry [D-NV] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Riegle, Donald W., Jr. [D-MI] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Specter, Arlen [R-PA] · R · Sponsor
- Sen. Wellstone, Paul D. [D-MN] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Wofford, Harris [D-PA] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Kohl, Herb [D-WI] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Sarbanes, Paul S. [D-MD] · D · Cosponsor
- Sen. Boxer, Barbara [D-CA] · D · Cosponsor
- Sen. DeConcini, Dennis [D-AZ] · D · Cosponsor
- Sen. Sasser, Jim [D-TN] · D · Cosponsor
- Sen. Inouye, Daniel K. [D-HI] · D · Cosponsor
- Sen. Brown, Hank [R-CO] · R · Cosponsor
- Sen. Cohen, William S. [R-ME] · R · Cosponsor
- Sen. Kempthorne, Dirk [R-ID] · R · Cosponsor
- Sen. Pryor, David H. [D-AR] · D · Cosponsor
- Sen. Kerrey, J. Robert [D-NE] · D · Cosponsor
- Sen. McConnell, Mitch [R-KY] · R · Cosponsor
- Sen. Dodd, Christopher J. [D-CT] · D · Cosponsor
- Sen. Durenberger, Dave [R-MN] · R · Cosponsor
- Sen. Akaka, Daniel K. [D-HI] · D · Cosponsor
Showing 48 of 62 sponsors and actors.
Related records
- related to → Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993
- amends ← To clarify that the compelling interest test applies in cases in which free exercise of religion is substantially burdened.
- amends ← To prohibit the application of this Act, or any amendment made by this Act, to an individual who is incarcerated in a Federal, State, or local correctional, detention, or penal facility.
Sources
PoliticalRepo is an index and interpretation layer, not the authoritative legal source.
- Official source: https://www.congress.gov/bill/103rd-congress/senate-bill/578
- Open data entity: https://api.congress.gov/v3/bill/103/s/578
- us · 103-s-578 · source updated 10 August 2026