The Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) is a U.S. federal law enacted in 1993 that aims to protect individuals' rights to practice their religion freely. It was designed to prevent the government from substantially burdening a person's exercise of religion unless there is a compelling governmental interest and the action is the least restrictive means of achieving that interest. RFRA applies to federal laws and, in some cases, state laws. It was introduced in response to a Supreme Court decision that limited the scope of religious freedom protections. The act has been the basis for various legal cases involving issues such as healthcare mandates, employment, and land use.