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42 U.S.C. § 2000bb–2 — Definitions
Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
As used in this chapter—
(1) the term “government” includes a branch, department, agency, instrumentality, and official (or other person acting under color of law) of the United States, or of a covered entity;
(2) the term “covered entity” means the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and each territory and possession of the United States;
(3) the term “demonstrates” means meets the burdens of going forward with the evidence and of persuasion; and
(4) the term “exercise of religion” means religious exercise, as defined in [section 2000cc–5 of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title42-section2000cc-5&num=0&edition=prelim).
Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 42 U.S.C. § 2000bb–2
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Stable record: federal_law:legal_authorities:record_usc_6fbe589dde8799a680da883f
Source file: Laws/federal/codes/united-states-code/title-42/section-2000bb2-definitions--d5fcba7892.md
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Source location: Title 42, Chapter 21B, § 2000bb–2; chapter-21b-religious-freedom-restoration.md
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As used in this chapter—
(1) the term “government” includes a branch, department, agency, instrumentality, and official (or other person acting under color of law) of the United States, or of a covered entity;
(2) the term “covered entity” means the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and each territory and possession of the United States;
(3) the term “demonstrates” means meets the burdens of going forward with the evidence and of persuasion; and
(4) the term “exercise of religion” means religious exercise, as defined in [section 2000cc–5 of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title42-section2000cc-5&num=0&edition=prelim).
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
**(a) Findings** The Congress finds that—
(1) the framers of the Constitution, recognizing free exercise of religion as an unalienable right, secured its protection in the First Amendment to the Constitution;
(2) laws “neutral” toward religion may burden religious exercise as surely as laws intended to interfere with religious exercise;
(3) governments should not substantially burden religious exercise without compelling justification;
(4) in Employment Division v. Smith, 494 U.S. 872 (1990) the Supreme Court virtually eliminated the requirement that the government justify burdens on religious exercise imposed by laws neutral toward religion; and
(5) the compelling interest test as set forth in prior Federal court rulings is a workable test for striking sensible balances between religious liberty and competing prior governmental interests.
**(b) Purposes** The purposes of this chapter are—
(1) to restore the compelling interest test as set forth in Sherbert v. Verner, 374 U.S. 398 (1963) and Wisconsin v. Yoder, 406 U.S. 205 (1972) and to guarantee its application in all cases where free exercise of religion is substantially burdened; and
(2) to provide a claim or defense to persons whose religious exercise is substantially burdened by government.
Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 42 U.S.C. § 2000bb
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