Black Community News News and Commentary for Christians
To protect citizens who work in the health care field from their government, the Trump administration created the Conscience and Religious Freedom division in the U.S. Department of Health and Humans Services (HHS).
Health care professionals who oppose killing unborn babies, “gender reassignment” surgery, “assisted suicide,” or any other objectionable procedures, may refuse to participate based on religious beliefs or conscience, with more protection against government retaliation.
HHS announced a final rule in the division on Thursday.
The final rule fulfills President Trump’s promise to promote and protect the fundamental and unalienable rights of conscience and religious liberty, a promise he made when he signed an executive order in May 2017 protecting religious liberty. In October 2017, the Department of Justice issued guidance encouraging other Departments, including HHS, to implement and enforce all relevant religious freedom laws.
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This final rule replaces a 2011 rule that has proven inadequate, and ensures that HHS implements the full set of tools appropriate for enforcing the conscience protections passed by Congress. These federal laws protect providers, individuals, and other health care entities from having to provide, participate in, pay for, provide coverage of, or refer for, services such as abortion, sterilization, or assisted suicide. It also includes conscience protections with respect to advance directives. [emphasis added]
The final rule was drafted to “ensure rigorous enforcement” of existing federal conscience and anti-discrimination laws.
In such times when religious freedom is under relentless attack, especially Christianity, it’s good to know the president of the United States values the First Amendment and seeks to protect religious Americans from persecution.
