Friend:

It’s always nice to get news of a win before a holiday weekend. As you know, on Monday we honor the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a strong supporter of church-state separation. Monday is also Religious Freedom Day. And just in time to celebrate, the Biden administration announced plans to reinstitute religious freedom protections for millions of vulnerable people who use federally funded social services. 

AU has led the charge to restore these protections ever since the Trump administration began rolling them back three years ago. They ensure people who rely on government-funded programs like food banks, homeless or domestic violence shelters, job training and elder care can’t be pressured to participate in religious activities or be required to meet a religious litmus test in exchange for receiving the help they need. As I said in my press statement, no one should have to sacrifice their religious freedom in order to get critical services – especially when they’re funded by taxpayers.

This marks the second time in a few weeks that our Public Policy and Legal teams’ efforts to get the Biden administration to rescind harmful Trump-era rules have paid off. In late December, the Department of Health and Human Services announced plans to rescind the Denial of Care Rule, which invited health care workers to cite their religious beliefs to deny treatment to any patient, even in emergencies. AU, with our allies, had filed federal lawsuits to challenge both the Denial of Care Rule and the Trump regulations for social-service providers.

It takes precious time and great effort to score these victories – but we couldn’t do it without your passionate support. I hope you will pause to feel proud and celebrate these important wins with me. They are our wins.

With hope and resolve,

Rachel K. Laser
President and CEO