For the first time in history a US administration has met with the American nontheist community for a policy briefing. The Feb. 26 meeting between White House staff and leaders of the Secular Coalition for America focused on the top public policy issues of the nontheist community, including ending proselytizing in the US military, improving the government’s ‘faith-based initiative’, and protecting children from neglect and abuse that can occur due to a lack of government oversight over faith-healing treatment providers.

“We cannot accept religious interference in government — whether it’s loopholes in child abuse laws for ‘faith healing,’ or preaching to enlisted members of the military,” said U.S. Rep. Pete Stark. “I commend the Secular Coalition for briefing the Obama Administration about these matters of religious freedom.”

The Secular Coalition for America is an advocacy group that lobbies the federal government. It brings together ten national nontheistic groups in the US, including IHEU Member Organizations such as the American Ethical Union, the American Humanist Association, and the Council for Secular Humanism.

http://www.iheu.org/white-house-meets-american-humanists-first-time