Religious exemption waiver previously granted to faith-based child care agencies in three states revoked by the government. The move harbored mixed reactions to Christians.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) declared the cancellation of the Trump-era waivers granted to faith-based foster care providers in Michigan, South Carolina, and Texas.
The waiver mandates that "no person otherwise eligible will be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or subjected to discrimination in the administration of the HHS programs and services."
The HHS contests that the said waiver has been used by religious sectors against any person, specifically the ones in the LGBTQ+ community, in government programs that are funded by the taxpayers.
Xavier Becerra, HHS Secretary, said that the revocation of the "inappropriate, overly broad waivers" is needed to protect the rights of every American citizen from discrimination.
He added that the action adheres to the mission of HHS that is to ensure that all Americans have access to quality health and human services.
It has been observed that there are many discrimination claims all over the country. It has compelled the department to act, investigate and take necessary steps to safeguard the rights of every citizen.
Pushback From Christian Conservatives
The HHS decision affected many Christians, saying that it is troubling faith-based institutions to render their services in respect to their religious inclinations.
The Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) stated in their explainer document that the waivers granted to those three states protect the religious freedom of the institution in serving vulnerable children.
The need for more organizations that offer foster care for children is increasing in the United States. It is expected that there will be a rise in the number of children in the U.S foster care system due to the pandemic. The current number is now 423,997. The government should consider that these kids will be appropriately catered to, especially during this time.
ERLC President Brent Leatherwood says the action of the government signifies that they are willing to target religious groups based on political ideology. Such reckless decisions show that they can and will be able to punish faith-based foster homes and religious institutions.
Praises From Progressive Christians
The Americans United for Separation of Church and State supports the HHS decision.
According to Americans United President Rachel Laser, the HHS move is a critical first step to eradicate discrimination in taxpayer-funded foster care agencies.
"The Religious Freedom Restoration Act was never intended to be used to allow discrimination against participants in government-funded programs or to grant sweeping exemptions to social service providers to ignore civil rights laws," Laser said.
It has been observed that faith-based adoption agencies have used the Trump-issued waiver in selecting foster parents depending on their religion. However, federal laws prohibit this course of action from subgrantees.
The HHS decision came five months after the case in Philadelphia was debunked. The city cannot refuse a Christian adoption center from its program due to its refusal to offer children to same-sex foster parents as a violation of the Christian faith.
Other Religious Changes Under Biden Administration
Earlier this month, a proposal from the U.S. Department of Labor rescinded the rule from the Trump government regarding the involvement of religion in the hiring process.
In May, another law that mandates the recipients of federal funding for the Title X Family Planning Program should provide abortion referrals even if it is against their religious beliefs.
