Issues@Hand

AFA initiatives, Christian activism, news briefs

July 2019 – On May 2, President Donald Trump announced a conscience rule protecting health care workers and hospitals which have personal or religious objections to some health procedures. This conscience rule is designed to protect those who want no ties to abortion, assisted suicide, and sterilizations.

It will be enforced by the Office for Civil Rights. Institutions receiving funds from federal programs will have to certify they comply with these laws.

Over two dozen laws already affected medical workers and institutions by protecting religious or conscience beliefs. However, the Obama administration ignored these laws and received on average one complaint per year. The Trump administration is enforcing laws on the books and received over 300 complaints in 2018.

The president’s latest announcement sparked immediate liberal backlash, e.g., the City of San Francisco has already filed a lawsuit claiming health services might be at risk due to caregivers’ religious beliefs.

onenewsnow.com, 5/6/19; lc.org, 5/2/19