Biden-Harris’ Latest Attack on Religious Liberty

Written by David E. Smith

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has proposed a new rule regulating the distribution of grants. HHS has historically held that any program or organization receiving a grant may not discriminate based on religion, race, ethnicity or sex. The proposed rule would redefine “sex” to include sexual orientation and gender identity.

There are no religious liberty exemptions included in this new proposal. As such, this rule could harm religious organizations that hold sincere convictions that human beings are created in the image and likeness of Almighty God as male and female. (Genesis 1:27; Matthew 19:4)

Religious groups that hold to the historical, orthodox Christianity believe that that sex is an objective, fixed, binary category that cannot be changed by self-perception or medical intervention. Should this rule be adopted, it would require HHS to exclude these religious groups from receiving many HHS grants.

As currently written, the HHS would be granted sole discretion––without any guiding principles or standard––to grant or deny religious accommodations. This is intolerable.

To make this point more persuasively, please read this recently released statement by Bill Donohue, President, Catholic League:

As we have previously pointed out, the Biden-Harris administration is the most anti-Catholic in American history. Although their days are numbered, they are still trying to stick it to Catholics.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a proposed regulation last month that, if it is approved, would discriminate against Catholic entities across the nation. In order to receive a HHS contract, every entity would have to agree not to discriminate on the basis of gender identity, among other demographic categories. There are no religious exemptions afforded.

The Catholic Church stands firm on this issue: gender ideology, the idea that sex is not rooted in nature and is fluid, is anti-science, as well as against Church teachings on sexuality. Therefore, it is unconscionable to force Catholic agencies to violate their tenets as a condition of receiving a HHS contract. This would mean, among other things, that Catholic hospitals would be forced to perform sex-reassignment surgery.

The public has until December 2 to weigh in on this issue. The bishops already have. We need to do so now.

Please take the time to respond to this bureaucratic bigotry against traditional Judeo-Christian beliefs.

TAKE ACTION:  Please submit a comment on this intolerant and discriminatory HHS Rule Change. This document has a comment period that ends on December 2, 2024. (For a PDF version of instructions, click here.)

1.) To leave a public comment, click HERE.

2.) This will take you to the page for the proposed rule “HHS Acquisition Regulation: Regulatory Review.”

3.) On the top right, just under the rule name, click the green box with “SUBMIT A PUBLIC COMMENT” written in white.

4.) This will open a small panel where you can type your comment.

5.) In the large white box next to “Comment” with the gold asterisk, you may type your comment.

a. Click inside the white box and begin typing

b. This section is mandatory

6.) Optionally, if you would prefer to upload a file, click the small green box with “+Add a file” written in white just below the large white box.

7.) You may leave the email blank.

8.) Next, you will have to complete the “Tell us about yourself! I am…” section.

a. You will have an option of selecting “An Individual,” “An Organization,” or “Anonymous”

I. To select your category, just click the circle below your choice

b. If you chose to submit as “An Individual,” you will have to leave your first name and last name (the other fields are optional)

c. If you choose to submit as “Anonymous,” you can jump to the end

9.) Finally, click the box next to “I read and understand the statement above,” and click submit comment.

Religious social-service organizations in America should not be forced to violate their convictions. Using the heavy hand of government to target, harass and punish people because of their faith-based beliefs is un-American. This retaliatory approach betrays our historic commitment to religious liberty.

Christian charities and organizations should be free to serve their communities while staying true to their religious convictions. These misguided policies hamper the ability of religious groups to help the most vulnerable and marginalized people among us.