People of Faith Celebrate Kansas Governor Sam Brownback’s Confirmation As U.S. Ambassador for International Religious Freedom

Washington, DC – The over 1.7 million members of the Faith & Freedom Coalition are overjoyed as former U.S. Senator and current Kansas Governor Sam Brownback has been confirmed by the U.S. Senate, with the tie-breaking vote from Vice-President Mike Pence, to serve as U.S. Ambassador for International Religious Freedom at the U.S. Department of State. 

“Governor Brownback is a man of deep integrity and strong faith who will serve as a champion for religious freedom and will help protect Christians and other religious minorities around the globe who are suffering persecution because of their religious faith,” said Faith & Freedom Coalition Executive Director Tim Head. “President Trump’s appointment of Governor Brownback to serve as U.S. Ambassador for International Religious Freedom sends a message to the entire world that the United States cares deeply about the cause of religious freedom and is committed to helping millions of people living in religiously oppressed areas.”

Faith & Freedom Coalition has supported the Brownback nomination throughout, including educating members on the issue of religious freedom and sending a letter to members of the U.S Senate urging them to vote to protect religious freedom by voting to confirm Governor Brownback.

Christians and other religious minorities are being persecuted around the world simply because they tried to practice their faith. According to the 21st Century Wilberforce Initiative, as many as five billion people face religious persecution, and about a third of global citizens live in places where people of faith are marginalized, imprisoned, and subject to violence including torture, and even beheadings. 

Cases of religious persecution and violence are widespread and in the recent past, seven Christians were killed in Kenya when the Islamic radical group al-Shabaab raided local villages going door-to-door looking for believers. Police in India recently arrested and charged with unlawful assembly, a group of Christians who had gathered for worship service. As official U.S. State Department documents show, there is also strong evidence that thousands of Christians and other religious minorities in Iraq and Syria have been slaughtered by ISIS.

“Help is on the way for people of faith who face persecution and violence because of their deeply held religious beliefs,” added Head. “Governor Brownback has a long, distinguished career as a champion for life, family, and religious freedom, first as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, then as a member of the U.S. Senate, as Governor of Kansas, and there is no doubt that he will continue to lead the way in the struggle to protect religious freedom around the world. ” ​