President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court appointee Judge Brett Kavanaugh has been a staunch defender of the rights of Americans, particularly religious freedom, said two prominent Republican representatives.

Writing for the Washington Times Thursday, House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA) and Randy Weber (R-TX) praised Kavanaugh as a judge “who shows respect for our Constitution and commitment to protecting American rights,” noting that he has actively defended religious freedom since the 1990s.

The congressmen stated that Kavanaugh took on a number of pro bono cases, “standing up for religious freedom and advocating on behalf of judges who share his respect for our Constitutional rights.”

“His will be a powerful voice as he continues defending our constitutional rights and freedoms, once confirmed by the Senate to the Supreme Court,” the representatives observe.

The two men’s praise of Kavanaugh forms part of a broader reflection on a return to respect for religious freedom under the Trump administration, following the first-ever Ministerial for the Advance of Religious Freedom, hosted by the U.S. State Department this week.

“One of the greatest things about America is our constitutionally protected right to practice our faith and live out our religious beliefs free from interference by our government,” according to the article, while also noting the ongoing hostility to religious freedom in recent years.

“Unfortunately, over the last few decades our nation has seen a wave of attacks against religious freedom — from government overreach to activist judges and others who wish to remove more elements of faith from our national life,” the authors declared.

Among the attacks on religious liberty are demands to tear down war memorials because they contain religious symbolism, the IRS’s threats to religious groups for what they say from the pulpit, and the Obama administration’s attempts to coerce groups like the Little Sisters of the Poor to defy their deeply held religious beliefs, the article noted.

The two men asserted that the tide is now turning and under the present administration “the liberties our nation’s Founders enshrined in our Constitution” are being restored, something that would never have happened under a Hillary Clinton presidency.

“Had Hillary Clinton won the presidential election, she would have appointed a liberal activist judge to the Supreme Court, resulting in the court ruling the opposite way and striking another blow to religious freedom instead of protecting it,” they noted.

In sum, just when “it seemed we were on a disastrous course, where our own government was undermining religious freedom at every turn, the American people stood up and demanded a change in direction,” they stated, adding a public show of support for the president’s programs.

“Under Mr. Trump, our government is now playing its proper role by defending our rights rather than threatening or treading upon them. He is keeping his promises to Americans of all faiths who felt marginalized by President Obama and others on the left. We are proud to stand with him and with all Americans who value faith and freedom,” they declared.

Follow Thomas D. Williams on Twitter Follow @tdwilliamsrome