A/HRC/25/34 Amendment of the Constitution, provided that Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech. Freedom of thought and conscience was protected by the guarantee of freedom of speech and opinion. Federal Government action that substantially burdened religious exercise could be invalidated by the judiciary, unless the action was the least restrictive means of furthering a compelling governmental interest. 98. It added that federal law prohibited discrimination on the basis of religion in education, employment, housing, public accommodations and access to public facilities (Civil Rights Act 1964), and that the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice enforced those statutes, including through a Special Counsel for Religious Discrimination. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission investigated allegations of religious discrimination in employment. 99. The Community Relations Service of the Department of Justice was available to state, local and tribal jurisdictions to help prevent and resolve racial and ethnic conflict and employ strategies to prevent and respond to alleged violent hate crimes committed on the basis of actual or perceived race, colour, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion or disability. The Service had developed a set of “best practices” to assist localities in preventing hate crimes and restoring harmony in communities. 100. The President of the United States and other officials had embraced their role in speaking out against intolerance. Civil society leaders, including religious leaders, regularly spoke out against intolerance. Various efforts had been made to promote interfaith dialogue and unity in the United States. 101. A new Office of Faith-based Community Initiatives had been created in the State Department. The State Department and the White House co-chaired a Working Group on Religion and Foreign Policy, which included a Subgroup on International Religious Freedom, Stability and Democracy, through which it engaged national and foreign civil society representatives to advance religious freedom and foster mutual respect for diversity. III. Conclusion 102. Based on the information provided by States on the efforts and measures taken by them for the implementation of the action plan outlined in paragraphs 6 and 7 of Human Rights Council resolution 22/31, the steps taken by States are largely policyoriented or legal in nature, with many of them enshrining protection against discrimination on the basis of religion or belief in national constitutions, criminal codes and other civil laws. Advocacy of incitement to hatred is for the most part criminalized and often prohibited on several grounds, including religion or belief. 103. Some States noted the importance of speaking out against intolerance, including advocacy of religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence, and indicated that their political and religious leadership, often at the very highest level, had done and continued to do so. It was also noted that freedom of expression and opinion was important to countering religious intolerance, including hate speech. 104. Several States noted the importance of tackling extremism and certain practices that contribute to fuelling contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. Extremism and radicalization, often leading to hate crimes and violence, were being addressed through social cohesion and integration programmes, police and security responses, often coupled 17