Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has welcomed the recent decision by the United States Congress to deepen its commitment to religious freedom in places where people suffer for their faith.

On Friday, 28 June, legislators on Capitol Hill adopted the full text of the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Bill for a total of USD 51.7 billion. The Bill includes several paragraphs related to funding of actions and projects for the promotion and protection of religious freedom, as well as directing financial support to faith-based organisations active in Nigeria.

“This is a concrete manifestation of how US legislators acknowledge the painful consequences of religiously motivated violence,” said Regina Lynch, Executive President of ACN International.

“Because this is a decision on taxpayers’ money, the acknowledgement includes the fact that faith-based organisations such as the Church are reliable partners for US humanitarian and development projects.”