Friend,

Two years ago this week, Americans United and our allies filed two lawsuits to ensure that no one could deny you health care because of a religious bias.^[1]

If not for our efforts, former President Trump’s Denial of Care Rule would have opened the floodgates to religion-based discrimination in health care. But shortly before the Denial of Care Rule’s effective date, three federal judges (including in one of our cases) blocked it from going into effect.

It was a win for religious freedom and patients’ rights – but in response, religious extremists doubled down on their strategy.

The fact is, religious exemptions from anti-discrimination laws have become the number one item on religious extremists’ agenda.

We can’t let them turn the shield of religious freedom into a sword to harm others. Will you help us win the fight against government-endorsed, religion-based discrimination?

This is far from over. The Denial of Care Rule is still on the books. AU’s lawyers and policy experts are working hard to change that, and to dismantle other harmful policies, but we’re up against steep opposition and a long list of Trump policies that need undoing.

Beyond health care, AU is actively engaged in fighting discrimination at taxpayer-funded foster-care agencies, social-service providers, and more. Sadly, it’s going to get worse before it gets better. The Supreme Court is poised to potentially deliver another blow to religious freedom, and more than a quarter of active federal judges are now Trump appointees.

Americans United is using all the tools we have to fight back. In addition to our legal efforts, AU’s public policy advocates are working hard to secure much-needed legislative and administrative protections from Congress and the Biden-Harris administration.

The more resources we have, the more good we can do. Please, join us in the fight against discrimination with a gift of $50 directly to our advocacy efforts today.

As we mark this anniversary of our fight against the Denial of Care Rule, I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished, but I’m anxious, too. The threats facing church-state separation are as grave as ever, and it will take everything we’ve got to rise to the challenges ahead.

You can use this link to support our most urgent work: https://act.au.org/advocacy

With hope and determination,

Rachel K. Laser
President and CEO

[1] On May 28, 2019, AU, joined by the Center for Reproductive Rights and Lambda Legal, filed a federal lawsuit (County of Santa Clara v. HHS) in California challenging the Denial of Care Rule, in coordination with Santa Clara County. On June 5, 2019, AU partnered with Baltimore to file a federal lawsuit (Mayor and City Council of Baltimore v. Azar) in Maryland to challenge the Denial of Care Rule.