Health Care

HHS Created An Office For Religious Freedom, And It's Controversial

The Department of Health and Human Services formed a new Conscience and Religious Freedom Division, which it says will help protect religious freedom.

HHS Created An Office For Religious Freedom, And It's Controversial
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The Department of Health and Human Services created a new office, and in less than a day, it became controversial.

It's called the Conscience and Religious Freedom Division, and HHS says it'll help protect the "fundamental" right of religious freedom. The new division aims to protect health care providers who refuse treatment on religious or moral grounds.

Conservative groups, like the Family Research Council, lauded the decision.

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But civil rights groups like the American Civil Liberties Union and others say they're ready to fight HHS. They argue the rule could undermine the rights of the LGBTQ community and women.

HHS notes the division will focus on enforcing existing federal laws. The director of the HHS Office for Civil Rights said it will "help guarantee that victims of unlawful discrimination find justice."