“The government should not be in the business of forcing foster care providers to close their doors because of their faith,” said Lynn Johnson, HHS’s assistant secretary for children and families. Under the Obama administration, the program had been found to violate an anti-discrimination regulation.
The Hill: Trump Admin Grants Religious Exemption To Federally-Funded Foster Care Program
The Trump administration announced Wednesday it will allow a ministry in South Carolina that only works with heterosexual Christian families to participate in a federally funded foster care program. That means Miracle Hill Ministries can receive federal funding to participate in the program while not working with non-Christians, or those who identify as LGBT. (Hellmann, 1/23)
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court’s decision on transgender troops sparks concerns —
St. Louis Public Radio: St. Louisans Decry Supreme-Court Decision To Uphold Trump’s Ban On Transgender Troops
Many St. Louisans are dismayed by a U.S. Supreme Court decision to reinstate President Donald Trump’s ban on transgender people serving in the military. The decision by the justices on Tuesday allows the Pentagon to stop people who’ve transitioned from enlisting in the U.S. armed forces. It also permits the military to require those already serving to present as the gender on their birth certificate. (Fowler, 1/23)
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