Thursday, February 13, 2025
Wednesday, February 12, 2025
Trump pushes Texas house to pass school choice bill
President Donald Trump pressed House lawmakers in Texas to pass a school choice bill already approved in the state Senate. “The Texas House must now pass School Choice to deliver a gigantic Victory for Texas students and parents,” Trump wrote. “I will be watching them closely. We need School Choice passed in every State!” READ
Officials vote to scrub Catholic hero’s name from building
DuPage County officials voted yesterday to remove the name of the late Republican Rep. Henry Hyde from the Chicago county’s Wheaton courthouse, citing his pro-life legacy. The Catholic lawmaker is best known for the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits federal funds from being used for abortions in most cases. READ
Pope writes letter to US bishops on immigration issue
Pope Francis sent an unexpected letter to U.S. bishops denouncing “any measure that tacitly or explicitly identifies the illegal status of some migrants with criminality.” Trump administration Border Czar Tom Homan responded in part: “He has a wall around the Vatican … but we can’t have a wall around the United States?” READ
Tuesday, February 11, 2025
Schumer calls federal employees to report on Trump Admin
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-NY, yesterday announced the creation of an online portal for “whistleblowers” to report to Senate Democrats on the Trump administration. Critics lambasted the move as an attempt to fend off Trump-backed efforts to root out government corruption and waste. READ
Vatican aid official condemns USAID funding pauses
The head of the Vatican’s global aid network Caritas Internationalis stated that the Trump administration’s USAID funding pauses “will kill millions of people.” CI Secretary General Alistair Dutton added: “This is an inhumane affront to people’s God-given human dignity, that will cause immense suffering.” READ
Pennsylvania VA Chaplain Sanctioned for Chapel Message, Faces Sermon Censorship by Supervisor
Harrisburg, PA—Today, First Liberty Institute and the Independence Law Center sent a letter on behalf of Rusty Trubey, a veteran chaplain at the Coatesville VA Medical Center, asking U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins to take immediate action to eliminate a speech code being imposed by the VA and ensure that Chaplain Trubey and his colleagues may preach according to the dictates of their conscience.
You can read the letter here.
“The government has no business censoring anyone’s sermon,
including military chaplains,” said Erin Smith, Associate Counsel at First
Liberty Institute. “This is just the kind of woke policy that we anticipate
Secretary Collins wants to purge from the VA.”
Randall Wenger of the Independence Law Center added, “Chaplains do
not give up their First Amendment rights in order to serve. Censoring the
content of a chaplain’s sermon is an unconstitutional violation of their
God-given rights to religious freedom and free speech.”
An Army Reserve Chaplain, veteran, and former missionary,
Russell (Rusty) Trubey has been a chaplain at the Coatesville (PA) VA Medical
Center for nearly ten years. In June 2024, as part of his normal duties,
Chaplain Trubey conducted a worship service in the chapel and preached a sermon
from the first chapter of Romans. When Chaplain Trubey was cleaning up the
chapel after the service ended, an onsite VA police officer approached him,
alleging complaints made about his sermon from that day. Chaplain Trubey
informed his supervisor, Chaplain Brynn White, that the police had been called
after his sermon. After that, Chaplain Trubey was removed from his duties as
chaplain, investigated for several months, and threatened with a mark on his
permanent record. While the Coatesville facility rescinded this proposed
reprimand, his supervisor has implemented an unconstitutional sermon review
process and is attempting to change the Chaplain SOP and Performance Plan to
limit the topics on which chaplains can preach. If put into effect, this plan
would punish chaplains for preaching according to their faith tradition and
religious convictions.
In the letter to Secretary Collins, the attorneys explain,
“What’s more, the changes to the SOP allow Chaplain White and other supervisors
to continue to discriminate against chaplains on the basis of their religious
viewpoints simply because they find the viewpoint ‘divisive, cultural, or
political.’ ‘If there is a bedrock principle underlying the First Amendment, it
is that the Government may not prohibit the expression of an idea simply
because society finds the idea itself offensive or disagreeable.’ United
States v. Eichman, 496 U.S. 310, 319 (1990). Indeed, the Bible and other
religious texts comment extensively on what some people could deem ‘divisive,
cultural, or political,’ and chaplains would be hard-pressed to preach a sermon
avoiding these topics and giving the viewpoint espoused by their religious
text. This opens the door for supervisors to punish chaplains simply for
preaching a viewpoint they find offensive.”
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About First Liberty Institute
First Liberty Institute is a non-profit
public interest law firm and the largest legal organization in the nation
dedicated exclusively to defending religious freedom for all Americans.
Monday, February 10, 2025
SCOTUS Could Deny Planned Parenthood Medicaid Funds
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Liberty Counsel filed an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court in Medina v. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, a case about whether states like South Carolina can disqualify Planned Parenthood from the state’s Medicaid funds. Liberty Counsel argues that the federal Medicaid Act allows states to direct these funds away from abortion providers they deem as an unqualified health care provider. As a result of Planned Parenthood’s unethical and illegal profiteering of aborted baby body parts revealed through undercover videos, South Carolina has a compelling interest to deny taxpayer funds for providers that engage in such practices.
Currently,
the U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals are divided 5-2 with the majority in favor
of funding Planned Parenthood by interpreting the Medicaid Act provides a right
to choose a specific qualified provider. However, the Fifth and Eighth Circuits
found that the Medicaid Act does not confer a federal right to choose just any
provider nor does it confer the right to sue states that exclude Planned
Parenthood as not qualified for the Medicaid program.
In
South Carolina, state law prohibits the use of taxpayer dollars to pay for
abortions. Medina arose after Governor Henry McMaster signed
an executive order in 2018 deeming abortion clinics unqualified to receive
state Medicaid funding under the state law. According to the state’s
SCOTUS petition, Gov.
McMaster’s order stated that South Carolina “has a strong culture and
longstanding tradition of protecting and defending the life and liberty of
unborn children.” The order directed state health officials to “deem abortion
clinics unqualified” to receive funding for abortion-related services. Shortly
thereafter, Planned Parenthood South Atlantic and one of its Medicaid clients
challenged the executive order claiming it violated federal law under the
Medicaid Act’s “any qualified provider” language.
The
law’s “any qualified provider” language grants beneficiaries the right to
choose their provider from a pool of providers the state has deemed qualified.
In the amicus brief, Liberty Counsel argues the law’s language does not
guarantee an individual right to access to any provider willing to participate
in Medicaid, and therefore, states are free to disqualify providers that engage
in unethical and illegal practices.
Since
Planned Parenthood has been credibly implicated in these types of practices –
notably the “shadowy proliferation” of fetal tissue trafficking brought to
light by undercover journalists Sandra Merritt and David Daleiden – states like
South Carolina have a compelling interest to keep Medicaid funds from
subsidizing these “abhorrent” practices. For example, Texas disqualified
Planned Parenthood based on Merritt’s and Daleiden’s work determining it
violated federal regulations on fetal tissue research, in which the Fifth
Circuit upheld that decision. Liberty Counsel noted that South Carolina’s
similar decision to disqualify Planned Parenthood exemplifies the will of the
state’s legislature to protect unborn life and that the “any qualified
provider” language in the Medicaid Act clearly is not meant to override a
state’s pro-life values and policies.
To
interpret the law this broadly would disrupt the “delicate balance of power”
between federal government oversight and the respect for state discretion as to
how Medicaid funds are appropriately used, wrote Liberty Counsel.
In
quoting the Fifth Circuit, Liberty Counsel added, “A Medicaid patient may
choose among qualified and willing providers but has no right to insist that a
particular provider is ‘qualified’ when the State has determined otherwise.”
Liberty
Counsel represents Sandra Merritt and defended her against criminal and civil
charges for exposing the truth about Planned Parenthood. Liberty Counsel
recently negotiated a plea
deal to end the criminal case with no prison time and no fines for Merritt,
which is essentially a complete victory for her in this politically-motivated
case.
Liberty
Counsel Founder and Chairman Mat Staver said, “States should be permitted to
defund Planned Parenthood. It makes no sense to require states to fund an
organization that kills children. Congress did not create a right for
individuals to have states pay for their abortions. Taxpayer dollars should
never be used to fund abortion or subsidize practices that kill children and
harms women.”
Message from the Iowa Catholic Conference
The bishops of Iowa visited the State Capitol last week for
the Iowa Catholic Conference Legislative Breakfast and meetings with
legislative leadership. Among the topics discussed were migration, education,
black market abortion pills, and conscience rights for medical professionals.
Last week’s committee action:
SSB 1028 passed the Senate Health and Human Services
Committee unanimously. It would provide $1 million to the “Double Up Food
Bucks” program, which provides matching funds for SNAP (food stamp) benefits
spent on fruits and vegetables. The match would be up to $10 a day. Healthy
food is more expensive so this should help promote healthy eating habits. Since
the bill contains an appropriation, it moves to the Senate Appropriations
Committee.
House File 248 passed the State Government Committee by a
unanimous vote. The legislation requires employers to treat employees who adopt
a child under 6 years of age in the same manner as a biological parent. The ICC
supports the bill because adoption helps to build and strengthen families,
providing a loving and supportive environment for children to grow and thrive.
Bonding with children is very important as there can be issues with identity
with adoptive children even as adults.
Several bills of interest to the ICC were introduced last
week, including:
- HSB 140. It’s identical to the bill the ICC supported
the last couple of years to shorten probation time for offenders who are
employed or pursuing education. This bill would help reintegrate offenders
into the community when it’s safe. The 2023 bill passed the House but
we could not get it through the Senate.
- HSB 139 and SF 220. The “Med Act” would provide needed
conscience protections for medical professionals. Federal law does not
protect rights of conscience for healthcare workers in some contexts such
as assisted suicide and prescribing unnecessary opiates to patients
requesting them. We believe the freedom to follow one’s conscience is
foundational. SF 220 is set to be considered by a subcommittee on Tuesday.
- There is a subcommittee hearing scheduled today
(Monday) for SF 207, which is the Senate’s version of the proposal
requiring age verification for adult websites. We believe this policy
would help protect children.
Federal assistance programs reviewed
If you’re following the news you’ve heard there are many
changes being implemented in federal programs by the Administration.
For example, the federal refugee resettlement program has
been put on pause pending a review. The U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) was
established when Congress passed the bipartisan Refugee Act of 1980. This is a
formal process by which people are legally resettled in the United States as
refugees.
Resettlement through this program is distinct from the U.S.
asylum process. Any person resettled through USRAP is first screened, vetted,
and approved by the U.S. government while outside of the United States. They
also receive medical evaluations, a cultural orientation, and other services
that maximize their ability to integrate successfully into, and contribute
productively to, American communities.
Even though funding has been halted for the program,
several agencies in Iowa, including Catholic Charities of Des Moines, are still
responsible for 839 people who are still in the so-called “service period,”
that first 90 days after arrival. Under normal circumstances those agencies
would receive $2.25 million from the federal government to do this work. There
are ongoing contacts with legislators and the governor’s office to see if any
emergency assistance can be provided at the state level.
Senate File 223 was introduced last week to provide $2.5
million in state funding for the agencies, but because the bill came from
Democrats, it seems unlikely to advance.
The Administration has stopped almost all U.S. foreign
assistance programs pending a review. The Secretary of State has issued an exception for
lifesaving humanitarian assistance, but as of this writing no funding has
moved.
Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is the bishops’ overseas
development and humanitarian agency and an important provider of this
assistance. While CRS can fill in with some money from Church and other private
fundraising, the loss of the federal money is very impactful to millions of
people around the world who need the help.
You are encouraged to go to support.crs.org/act/foreign-aid-operations to
urge your members of Congress to engage with the Administration to allow
foreign assistance programs to operate during the review process. If you happen
to be in Rep. Ashley Hinson’s district in northeast Iowa, your message is
especially important as she serves on the U.S. House Appropriations Committee.
Please customize the message as much as possible.
Friday, February 7, 2025
Trump establishes task force to combat anti-Christian weaponization of government
Trump announced at the Feb. 6 National Prayer Breakfast that he would sign the executive order and that the “Task Force to End the War on Christians” will be headed by Attorney General Pam Bondi.
“The mission of this task force will be to immediately halt all forms of anti-Christian targeting and discrimination within the federal government,” the president said, “including at the DOJ, which was absolutely terrible. The IRS, the FBI, terrible, and other agencies.”
The President said the task force will also “work to fully
prosecute anti-Christian violence and vandalism in our society and to move
heaven and earth to defend the rights of Christians and religious believers
nationwide.”
According to a White House memo obtained by the Washington Examiner, the task force will review the
“activities of all departments and agencies to identify and eliminate
anti-Christian policies, practices, or conduct.”
The goals of the task force will include identifying and
addressing gaps in laws and enforcement that have allowed anti-Christian
actions to persist, such as failures to fully enforce laws against hostility,
vandalism, and violence directed at Christians.
Additionally, the task force will recommend further
presidential or legislative actions needed to “rectify past wrongs and protect
Americans’ religious liberties.” An annual progress report will be submitted,
along with a final report upon the task force’s conclusion.
“The previous Administration engaged in an egregious
pattern of targeting Christians while ignoring violent, anti-Christian
offenses,” the White House memo stated. “President Trump will not tolerate this
abuse of government and is taking action to ensure that any unlawful and
improper anti-Christian conduct, policies or practices are identified,
terminated, and rectified.”
The memo brought attention to various instances of the
Biden administration targeting Christians, including the Department of Justice
bringing felony charges against pro-life Christians for peacefully
demonstrating outside abortion facilities, while overlooking numerous attacks
on Catholic churches, charities, and pro-life centers, according to the memo.
Also cited in the White House announcement is a 2023 memo
from the FBI that suggested that traditional Catholics posed a domestic
terrorism threat, leading to calls for infiltration of Catholic churches as
part of “threat mitigation” efforts.
The order also accused Biden’s Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission of attempting to compel Christians to affirm radical “transgender”
ideology against their beliefs, while Biden’s Department of Health and Human
Services sought to drive Christians out of the foster care system.
Physician Assistant Fired for Faith Has Day in Court, Asks Sixth Circuit to Protect Her Religious Freedom
Attorneys defend Valerie Kloosterman’s
right to exercise her faith in the workplace following unlawful termination
from Michigan hospital.
Cincinnati, OH— Today, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the
Sixth Circuit heard oral argument in the case of Valerie Kloosterman, a
longtime physician assistant who was fired from her job due to her religious
beliefs. Kloosterman is seeking to be reinstated at Michigan Heath-West with a
religious accommodation for issues surrounding gender affirming care. She is
represented by First Liberty Institute and the law firm Clement & Murphy,
PLLC.
“It is intolerant and unconstitutional for employers to
demand that medical professionals like Valerie abandon their religious beliefs
in order to remain employed,” remarked Roger Byron, Senior Counsel for First
Liberty. “The University of Michigan Health-West system is sending a message
that religious health care workers are not welcome and need not apply. We hope
Michigan Health is held accountable for its discrimination.”
Kevin Wynosky, Associate at Clement & Murphy, PLLC,
stated, “Valerie loves her community and her job. She is devastated that the
University of Michigan health system derided her beliefs and demanded that she
choose between her faith and providing health care.”
Valerie Kloosterman worked as a physician assistant at
Michigan Health-West for 17 years, serving her community and helping others.
She regularly received exemplary reviews, with supervisors calling her
“professional,” “very ethical,” and a “pleasure to work with.” She treated all her patients respectfully,
regardless of their background, sexual orientation, or declared gender. But
when Valerie told HR her religious beliefs prohibited her from affirming
statements about transgender medical procedures, using transgender pronouns, or
referring patients for transgender surgeries, she was terminated by Michigan
Health-West.
During follow-up meetings, a Michigan Health diversity
representative called Valerie “evil,” blamed her for gender dysphoria-related
suicides, and told her she could not take the Bible or her religious beliefs to
work with her. Valerie cannot in good conscience personally administer or
perform experimental procedures that violate her religious beliefs or her
medical judgment. As a result, on August 24, 2021, Valerie lost her job in
order to keep her faith.
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About First Liberty Institute: First Liberty Institute is a
non-profit public interest law firm and the largest legal organization in the
nation dedicated exclusively to defending religious freedom for all Americans.
Monday, February 3, 2025
Education Department nixes Biden Title IX rule
The Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights issued a “dear colleague” letter Friday directing all public schools and universities to revert to the original interpretation of Title IX after a long push by the Biden administration to reinterpret the women’s rights law to favor “transgender” rights. READ
Massachusetts pro-life center sues over abortion campaign
Massachusetts-based Bethlehem House filed a defamation lawsuit last week against Reproductive Equity Now. The pro-abortion group, together with the state government, launched an influence campaign against pro-life pregnancy resource centers last summer. READ