Hartzler statement on conscience protections

Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (R-MO) issued the following statement supporting the Trump Administration’s agency actions on conscience protections and religious freedom.

“This executive action ensures that religious freedom protections remain the bedrock of American society. Today’s Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) interim final rules relieve undo pressure from the previous administration, allowing educational institutions, non-profits like the Little Sisters of the Poor and small businesses to provide health care policies consistent with their conscience, moral convictions and mission. For the last several years, the right to live in accordance with one’s faith was a liability, as evidenced by the government’s coercive policies and ruinous fines for non-compliance.

I applaud Attorney General Sessions for outlining key religious freedom principles applicable to the Department of Justice, and all federal agencies, recognizing that expressions of faith are integral elements of American society and are already enshrined in federal statute. The Department’s guidance says it well, ‘Religious liberty is not merely a right to personal religious beliefs or even to worship in a sacred place. It encompasses religious observance and practice.’”