Gov. Brian Kemp: Faith Protection Act Protects Churches from Shutdowns

The Faith Protection Act making Georgia a “sanctuary state for people of faith” is enacted into law, Gov. Brian Kemp (R-GA) said on Wednesday’s edition of SiriusXM’s Breitbart News Daily with host Alex Marlow.

Kemp contextualized the proposed legislation as a response to assorted lockdown and shutdown decrees ostensibly issued by various state and local authorities as public health measures to reduce COVID-19 transmission.

“I want Georgia to be known as a sanctuary state for people of faith,” Kemp declared. “I think we’ve seen around the country there have been a lot of people in power, especially governors around the country, that have denied people that right of religious freedom, if you will, to be able to worship.”

Marlow asked about arbitrary and inconsistent application of lockdown and shutdown edicts across the country targeting churches while deeming liquor stores and marijuana dispensaries as “essential” goods and services.

“It’s very frustrating for a lot of people in Georgia, including myself,” Kemp said. “We never shut churches down. We asked our pastors and faith leaders across all denominations to work with us and help us flatten the curve and stop the spread, but we also know, and even with a pandemic, it’s important for us to be able to worship.”

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“That’s a fundamental right here in our country and in our state, and so this legislation will prevent me or any future governor from being able to shut down religious services,” Kemp added.

On Friday, Kemp issued a statement regarding the Faith Protection Act:

During the COVID-19 pandemic, people of all faiths across America were told by state governments how, where, when, or even if they could worship at all. Not in Georgia. We chose to work alongside congregations across our state to ensure they practiced their faith safely and in accordance with public health guidance.

The Faith Protection Act will ensure the emergency powers of any governor of Georgia in the years to come are not used to limit the God-given right to worship. In Georgia, we never shuttered churches, synagogues, or other places of worship because we value faith, family, and freedom. With the Faith Protection Act signed into law, Georgia will be a sanctuary state for people of faith.

Marlow invited Kemp’s assessment of federal spending proposals from Congress being marketed by politicians as “COVID-19 relief” packages.

“This relief package does not use common sense,” Kemp replied. “States that had done well [and] have been fiscally conservative leading up to the start of the pandemic are being punished, and states that haven’t done that are actually being rewarded.”

Kemp remarked, “This thing is just a Christmas tree to help their buddies in liberal states that have not been fiscally conservative and have financial issues. This is a bailout for them. … That’s not what the people of Georgia want.”

Kemp said congressional relief funding should target industries “that have been hit very hard … like the service industry, airline industry, [and] tourism.” Funding should also be appropriated for “vaccine deployment” and “future testing,” he added.