[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 29 (Wednesday, February 14, 2018)]
[House]
[Page H1171]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      PROTECTING RELIGIOUS LIBERTY

  (Mr. LaMALFA asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LaMALFA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the Health and 
Human Services' new Conscience and Religious Freedom Division within 
the Office of Civil Rights.
  Recently, they announced a proposed rule to protect workers in HHS-
funded programs from being coerced into practicing activities that 
violate their conscience, including abortion, sterilization, assisted 
suicide, and more.
  Under the previous administration, doctors and nurses were not 
protected from being forced to participate in procedures that may 
violate their religious beliefs or moral convictions. This is clearly 
wrong. Those who are discriminated against for their religious beliefs 
should be afforded the same protections as those facing any other types 
of discrimination.
  OCR has now opened a 60-day public comment period on the rule. I 
encourage everyone across the country to participate in that comment 
period.
  I thank the Division once again for taking this important action to 
protect religious liberty in our healthcare system.

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