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BREAKING: Church COVID Restrictions Lifted

A year ago this week was when the pandemic really hit home for many Americans, spurred by rising cases and a flurry of Stay at Home orders. But March 2021 is looking a lot different, and nothing makes that more evident than an (almost) complete lifting of COVID restrictions on churches, announced today by Governor Tim Walz and taking effect on Monday, March 15. 

All capacity restrictions on church services have been lifted, so churches can meet without any restrictions except for (1) mandatory use of masks, (2) capacity for social distancing, and (3) a COVID-19 preparedness plan in place. Singing is permitted, although food or drink (other than Communion) are still prohibited. Get more details here.

Throughout the pandemic, churches, denominations, and Minnesota Family Council have all placed firm but respectful pressure on Governor Walz to respect religious freedom and trust churches to gather safely. This has paid off: for the last few months, religious services have been less restricted than other similar events, because churches have First Amendment protections. In fact, churches and other places of worship are the only venues to have capacity restrictions lifted entirely at this time. Religious freedom is winning!

Other restrictions, including those on restaurants and event venues, have also been loosened somewhat. You can read the whole executive order announcing the changes here, and coverage in the Star Tribune here.

Big, Bad Bailout Has Silver Lining for Families

On Thursday, President Biden signed the $1.9 trillion COVID-relief bill known as the “American Rescue Pan.” The bill has rightly been criticized as a “blue state bailout” and leaves out key pro-life provisions. It allocates $390 million simply to carry out the administrative costs of the legislation, while less than 9 percent of the $1.9 trillion will be going toward directly addressing COVID-19 through public health spending. One bright spot in an otherwise terrible bill is the expansion of the Child Tax Credit (CTC), a change that will benefit millions of families by helping them to prioritize their children.

This temporary change will expand the CTC from $2,000 annually to $3,000 per child between the ages of 6 and 17 and $3,600 per child under the age of six during the 2021 tax year. This will be a fully refundable tax credit, meaning that if the credit exceeds the amount of taxes owed, families will receive a refund.

Increasing the CTC enables families to shift their focus toward the needs of their children instead of focusing on keeping both parents in the workforce, encouraging more quality family time by reducing financial strain. As Lyman Stone from Institute for Family Studies has pointed out, “The reality is that if a person has to choose between driving an Uber or taking care of their four-year-old, society and that child is probably better off with a little more parent-child time and a little less time at work.”

The full tax credit will be available for individuals who make up to $75,000 per year and couples who make up to $150,000 per year. For individuals and couples who make more than that, the credit will be reduced by $50 for every $1,000 of adjusted gross income earned.

Senate Moves Becerra Forward, Confirmation Expected Soon

The U.S. Senate voted 51-48 to advance the nomination of pro-abortion radical Xavier Becerra for a confirmation vote. With Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) and Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) giving Becerra their backing, his confirmation is all but assured.

The problem? Becerra is a pro-abortion radical who, among other issues, started a witch hunt against pro-lifers during his time as California's Attorney General.

Thank you to the thousands of Minnesotans who sent Sens. Klobuchar and Smith a message saying Minnesotans deserve BETTER than Becerra. There's still time to make your voice heard if you have not done so by clicking the button below.

Dutch Doctor Who Pioneered Early Transgender Treatment Says World is “Blindly” Adopting His Approach

Dr. Thomas Steensma is a Dutch doctor who has long advocated for “treating” children with gender dysphoria by putting them on puberty-blockers and cross-sex hormones. Now, roughly a decade after his much-cited study advocating for the “Dutch Protocol” was released, Dr. Steensma is concerned. “The rest of the world is blindly adopting our research,” he told a Dutch media outlet recently.

Medical experimentation on children ought to be universally rejected, but shockingly, it is quickly becoming unquestionable. Partially to blame for this development is the “Dutch Protocol” which encourages doctors to give minors with gender dysphoria puberty-blockers followed by cross-sex hormones. Steensma’s study, arguing that this was in the best interest of children, played a significant role in popularizing this approach. Recently, Steensma has begun urging caution, saying that more research is needed.

Doubtless Steensma is watching the fallout of the Tavistock trial in the UK and does not want to see his research associated with future scandals. However, his insistence that more research is needed suggests that he wants to continue using the Dutch Protocol in at least some cases. Regarding the long-term effects of the Dutch Protocol, he admitted,

Little research has yet been done on the treatment with puberty inhibitors and hormones in young people. That is why it is also seen as experimental. We are one of the few countries in the world that conducts ongoing research into this.

Steensma’s call for “ongoing research” means that he is hoping to see more experimental research on children. He is right to be concerned that the rest of the world is blindly accepting his research, but he somehow believes that more experimentation on children would be a good thing, even while admitting that he does not know the full extent of the long-term health effects this will cause.

 Thank you for sharing Minnesota Family Council’s vision for strong families, communities and culture through Christ. As we rise to meet challenges at the state and federal level, we need your support now more than ever. Click here to give now. We are grateful for your partnership with us through prayer and financial support.

For life, family, and religious freedom,