Energy and Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Education and Labor Chairman Bobby Scott (D-VA) issued the following joint statement after the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a final rule that would deny patients necessary and lifesaving health care based on religious beliefs and erode nondiscrimination protections:
“Today’s final rule, along with the expected release of a second rule that would undermine health care rights under the Affordable Care Act, will add to the Trump administration’s continued attacks on patient access to health care by allowing hospitals, doctors, and anyone involved in the provision of health care to deny care to patients based on any personal belief. While religious liberty is a fundamental American value, it should not permit a person to cause harm to or subvert the rights of another person."
“Women, minorities, members of the LGBTQ community, and other marginalized people already face widespread discrimination in our health care system. The administration’s actions make this worse by further condoning discrimination against another person’s right to receive health care.
“We strongly urge the administration to abandon these harmful, unnecessary rules that ultimately lead to government-sanctioned discrimination in our health care system."
