With support from conservatives, liberals and virtually all major religions, Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, reintroduced a bill Thursday to restore religious protection that the Supreme Court erased in 1990.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - which only rarely takes stands on legislation - issued a statement urging its passage to help prevent future persecution similar to what its members suffered early in its history.And President Clinton also sent a letter Thursday urging Congress to quickly pass it, saying, "The right to practice one's faith free from governmental interference is among the most fundamental liberties protected by our Con-sti-tu-tion."

In a 1990 case about use of the drug peyote by American Indian employees of the state of Oregon, the Supreme Court erased rules that had said the government could interfere with religion only if there were a compelling state interest and the least burdensome interference possible was used.

New rules now say government restrictions may interfere with religion as long as they have rational reasons and do not target any specific group.

Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., co-sponsor of the bill with Hatch, said that may mean the "government could regulate the selection of priests and ministers, dry communities could ban the use of wine in communion services, government meat inspectors could require changes in the preparation of kosher food and school boards could force children to attend sex education classes contrary to their faith."

Kennedy added that since the court decision, "More than 50 cases have been decided against religious claimants, and harmful rulings are likely to continue."

The U.S. Catholic Conference on Thursday also dropped its long-time opposition to the bill. It had worried it might be a back-door attempt to further protect abortion by possibly allowing women to claim abortion was a key part of their religion.

It dropped its opposition after Hatch and others added clarifying language and because other recent Supreme Court decisions on abortion made use of Hatch's bill to protect abortion unlikely.

Hatch said the recent court decision "has severly weakened the religious liberties of every American" even though "the free exercise of religion is not a luxury afforded our citizenry, but a well-conceived and fundamental right and the first right mentioned in the First Amendment."

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A statement from the LDS Church said, "For Mormons, this legislation implements into federal law a vital principle of general application embodied in our church's 11th Article of Faith, written in 1842: `We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where or what they may."

Hearings were held on the bill last year and included appearances by LDS Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Council of the Twelve - which marked only the third time that high LDS Church officials have appeared before Congress on a topic. Hatch said he hopes the bill will pass later this year.

Supporters of the bill include some strange bedfellows, including the left-wing American Civil Liberties Union and the right-wing Coalitions for America.

Other supporters include the National Council of Churches, the National Association of Evangelicals, the American Jewish Committee, the Southern Baptist Convention, the Baptist Joint Committee, the Episcopal Church, the Christian Legal Society, People for the American Way and Concerned Women for America.

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