Saturday, September 21, 2019

Family Research Council Submits Comment Backing Trump Administration Religious Liberty Rule


September 17, 2019

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Family Research Council filed a comment yesterday in support of a proposed rule by the Trump Administration's Department of Labor's (DOL) Office of Federal Contract Compliance (OFCCP) which will protect religious liberty. The rule is titled "Implementing Legal Requirements Regarding the Equal Opportunity Clause's Religious Exemption" and will require federal agencies to allow faith adherents to compete for federal contracts on an equal footing with anyone else.

FRC's comment notes:

"Protecting religious liberty is intrinsic to the fabric of our society and has been from the foundation of this nation. The government must treat religious adherents with neutrality, not hostility, allowing those that practice a faith to be treated equally before the government. The protections laid out in the DOL's proposed rule reaffirm the foundational principle that faith adherents must be afforded the same opportunities to participate in federal contracting as any other person. These protections are not new to government contracting, and they should continue to be affirmed--as they are in this proposed rule--so that religious organizations may remain free and able to contribute to the public good of our society."

Mary Beth Waddell, Senior Legislative Assistant at Family Research Council and one of the co-authors of FRC's comment, remarked:

"With this proposed rule, the Department of Labor is upholding the long-held American ideal that faith does not have to be checked at the door of an individual's home or house of worship, and people should be free to believe as they engage with the government and in the public square."

The complete comment submitted by Family Research Council can be viewed here.