By First Liberty Institute communications
PLANO, Texas—The Trump administration has announced two significant policy positions that will protect the religious liberty of all Americans—critical protections that will immediately benefit First Liberty Institute’s clients and aid many others.
Because of a new interim final rule announced Oct. 6 by the Trump administration, clients of First Liberty are now exempt from the Affordable Care Act’s contraceptive mandate, which forced businesses, ministries, and other non-profit organizations to reject their religious beliefs and moral convictions or violate the law.
Deputy General Counsel for First Liberty Jeremy Dys issued the following statement regarding the HHS interim final rule:
“The new rule is a huge win for business and ministry leaders who, since 2013, have been fighting the government’s disregard for their religious beliefs and moral convictions. Now, they can lead their organizations in good conscience without choosing between their convictions and obeying law.”
In July, First Liberty attorneys held an in-person, on-the-record meeting with officials from the Office of Management and Budget, Department of Labor, and Health and Human Services— agencies tasked with reviewing the rules related to the Affordable Care Act’s contraceptive mandate.
The Department of Justice also announced new religious liberty guidelines that build upon critical protections for religious liberty set down in the Clinton administration.
“Our country has a long history of protecting religious liberty,” General Counsel for First Liberty Hiram Sasser said in a written statement. “This guidance is part of a tradition of administrations helping to educate the public and officials regarding the laws that protect religious liberty, such as President Clinton’s pioneering guidance protecting religious liberty in public schools. Further, our nation has a longstanding bi-partisan commitment to religious liberty as evidenced by Senator Ted Kennedy’s passionate advocacy for the passage of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA). We welcome President Trump’s commitment to continue this legacy of protecting religious liberty.”
