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You’ve heard there’s a government shutdown. Most federal offices are closed and the “essential workers” are working without getting paid. Members of the military will miss a paycheck on October 15 which is the first event that might get one side or the other, Dems who want to address healthcare funding now or Republicans who just want to reopen the government, to give in. But not everything is closed, for better or worse. Capitol Hill offices are open (the better) and the Supreme Court began its new session last week (the worse).

I had a meeting with a staffer for a new member of the Congressional Freethought Caucus Tuesday. I’m not going to say which member because I didn’t ask if the meeting could be on the record but it’s a newly elected Democrat who likely falls in the progressive category and sits on a useful committee. The first thing I noticed was that the main entrance to the Longworth Building was closed. I had to go around the corner to a smaller entrance because the Capitol Hill police, like all Hill staff, are not getting paid so I assume they are going with a smaller team at the doors.

I went through the metal detectors with a group of about 20 people wearing white T-shirts that said Stronger in HIS Armor on the back, a good reminder that religious groups who want to see more religion in government are always active on Capitol Hill, so we have to be too.
The building wasn’t as busy as usual but the office I headed for was. I met up there with two other lobbyists from Secular Coalition member organizations. The staffer asked if we could meet in the hall because there was no good spot available in the office, which isn’t too unusual if they are busy. The average House member office has three or four rooms for about ten people including the boss’s office. It can be pretty cramped sometimes.

This was really just a get-to-know-you meeting. Our priorities at SCA line up pretty consistently with Freethought Caucus priorities, making it easy to tell a new Caucus member or staffer what we are working on with the Caucus and what ways we think the new Member could get involved. Our new staffer acquaintance was interested in what we’re doing and has experience with our issues. And a meeting standing in the hall that lasts 20 minutes is a good sign.

The Supreme Court is back. There are no hugely significant church-state separation cases on the docket this term, like a school prayer case, but one of the most significant already had its day for arguments last Monday. A Christian mental health counselor is challenging Colorado’s ban on conversion therapy, which is also banned in 26 other states. At a previous job I worked to get it banned in some of those states so this one I’m following closely. Conversion therapy is the discredited practice of trying to change someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity through counseling and sometimes more aggressive methods. It doesn’t work and can be harmful.

The question before the Supreme Court is whether the state ban prohibits a medical treatment that falls outside the accepted standard of care, or whether it violates the free speech of a Christian counselor while she provides counseling services. Conversion therapy almost always has a religious motivation behind it. You could say the same thing about many recent Supreme Court decisions. The questioning indicated that a majority of justices are leaning towards the free speech argument. We will find out in the spring.

Speaking of next spring, SCA’s lobby day is happening on Tuesday, March 10. We’ll see what the most important issue is next March and look for a crowd of people to come to DC and talk to their representatives about it. No experience necessary. So mark your calendar. We don't do t-shirts.


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Scott MacConomy, Director of Policy ad Government Affairs at the Secular Coalition for America, wears a blue suit and stands with his arms crossed over his chest in front of the United States Capitol Building.

Your advocate,

Scott MacConomy
Director of Policy and Government Affairs
Secular Coalition for America
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