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Religious Freedom Restoration Act
Helms stated his disbelief in the old adage that "morality cannot be legislated". Helms took an active role in campaigning and in helping the Republican party to engage these values. First in his early work for Smith, then locally and eventually in early 1980 played a key role in helping the father of modern conservative, Ronald Reagan, win the Republican primary and take the White House back from the liberal president Jimmy Carter. Helms's political action committee spent over $4.6 million to help Reagan capture the white house.<ref name=freep>[https://web.archive.org/web/20040627092855/http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3b8990d63719.htm Jesse Helms: To mold a nation (Three decades of political soul )]</ref> Until recently, when Helms became incapacitated, in his home state of North Carolina few Conservative Republican candidates would run for state or national office without an endorsement from Helms.
Helms stated his disbelief in the old adage that "morality cannot be legislated". Helms took an active role in campaigning and in helping the Republican party to engage these values. First in his early work for Smith, then locally and eventually in early 1980 played a key role in helping the father of modern conservative, Ronald Reagan, win the Republican primary and take the White House back from the liberal president Jimmy Carter. Helms's political action committee spent over $4.6 million to help Reagan capture the white house.<ref name=freep>[https://web.archive.org/web/20040627092855/http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3b8990d63719.htm Jesse Helms: To mold a nation (Three decades of political soul )]</ref> Until recently, when Helms became incapacitated, in his home state of North Carolina few Conservative Republican candidates would run for state or national office without an endorsement from Helms.
=== Religious Freedom Restoration Act ===
In 1993, the RFRA was introduced and passed the senate by a vote of 97-3.<ref>[http://www.nationalreview.com/article/291310/church-and-rfra-brian-bolduc The Church and the RFRA], [[National Review]]</ref> Helms was one of the three votes against the bill at the time, and for specific reasons which are usually not mentioned<ref>[http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/04/01/everybody-s-lost-their-goddamn-mind-over-religious-freedom.html]</ref>
Helms noted:
<blockquote>I believe my credentials are intact regarding my record of support for the religious liberties envisioned by our Founding Fathers. This nation was created by men and women convinced that the right to observe one’s faith, free from the heavy hand of government, is the most cherished of individual freedoms. Having said that, I am obliged to observe that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act purports to strengthen the religious protections afforded by the constitution. In fact, with a name like the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, how can anyone vote against it? Unfortunately, around this place you learn quickly that catchy names on bills do not tell what Paul Harvey calls "the rest of the story."<br />
The Religious Freedom Restoration Act has less to do with our legal and historical notions of religious liberties than it does with the creation of new rights and employment opportunities for the nation’s lawyers. This legislation when enacted will make it easier for litigants with many different and singular religious beliefs to attack virtually all state and federal laws that somehow burden acts that individuals engage in as part of their religious practice. Mark my words. Once again, the courthouse doors are about to fly open as thousands will demand protection for religious practices as varied as the use of hallucinogenic drugs and animal sacrifice.<ref>[http://2015-dtd.blogspot.com/2015/04/why-senator-jesse-helms-voted-against.html Why Senator Jesse Helms voted against the RFRA of 1993 ]</ref><ref>[http://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/politics-columns-blogs/under-the-dome/article19448577.html Helms, others cautious of religious freedom act's 'new rights']</ref></blockquote>
=== Foreign Policy ===
=== Foreign Policy ===
Helms believed that America should stand against dictators and help bring its values of freedom and democracy to the world. This belief caused Helms to stand against "Most Favored Nation" status for China (which the Reagan and Nixon Administrations supported). At the same time, Helms stood for a strong national defense and strongly opposed Communism and would occasionally compromise on the humanitarian part of his policy when it suited those aims, such was the case in his support for the dictator Augusto Pinochet.<ref>http://www.jessehelmscenter.org/principles/default.asp</ref> Helms opposed arms control and nuclear test-ban treaties even when some of these measures were supported by Reagan himself.<ref name=freep />
Helms believed that America should stand against dictators and help bring its values of freedom and democracy to the world. This belief caused Helms to stand against "Most Favored Nation" status for China (which the Reagan and Nixon Administrations supported). At the same time, Helms stood for a strong national defense and strongly opposed Communism and would occasionally compromise on the humanitarian part of his policy when it suited those aims, such was the case in his support for the dictator Augusto Pinochet.<ref>http://www.jessehelmscenter.org/principles/default.asp</ref> Helms opposed arms control and nuclear test-ban treaties even when some of these measures were supported by Reagan himself.<ref name=freep />