Study finds religious beliefs have an enduring influence on senators' legislative behavior

..."The bottom-line is that while church and state are formally separated, religious legislators are still driven by their religious beliefs when voting in the Senate on all issue areas. This mechanism circumvents the formal separation of church and state and brings religion into politics through the back door."....

https://www.psypost.org/2018/09/study-finds-religious-beliefs-have-an-enduring-influence-on-senators-legislative-behavior-52222