Congressmen Introduce Bill to Protect Religious Rights of Foster Care, Adoption Agencies
August 3, 2014 | By: Heather Clark
WASHINGTON – Two Republican Congressmen have introduced a bill that would protect the religious rights of child welfare providers, such as adoption agencies and foster care services.
Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA) and Sen. Mike Enzi introduced the Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act last week, a measure that would prevent the federal government, as well as state officials, from discriminating against providers because of their religious beliefs.
“The federal government, and any state that receives federal funding for any program that provides child welfare services under part B or part E of title IV of the Social Security Act (and any subdivision, office or department of such state) shall not discriminate or take an adverse action against a child welfare service provider on the basis that the provider has declined or will decline to provide, facilitate, or refer for a child welfare service that conflicts with, or under circumstances that conflict with, the provider’s sincerely held religious beliefs or moral convictions,” the bill reads.
The legislation also outlines that some states such as Massachusetts, California, Illinois, and the District of Columbia, “have refused to contract with religious organizations that are unable, due to sincerely held religious beliefs or moral convictions, to provide a child welfare service that conflicts, or under circumstances that conflict, with those beliefs or convictions.”
http://christiannews.net/2014/08/03/congressmen-introduce-bill-to-protect-religious-rights-of-foster-care-adoption-agencies/
http://www.enzi.senate.gov/uploads/CWPIA.pdf
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