Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Beccera testified before the House Education and Workforce Committee. The Department of Health and Human Services recently finalized a rule in the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) that forces hospitals to perform transgender surgeries and provide sterilizing drugs if they receive federal funding.
Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL) wanted to know just how far the Biden administration was willing to go to force their LGBTQ agenda on the country. Rep. Miller asked Secretary Becerra this simple question: "Can you commit here today that your department will not withhold federal funding from hospitals or doctors who refuse to provide the gender-affirming care that you are mandating if it violates their religious beliefs?"
The concept of "gender-affirming care" is a very controversial issue. The American people overwhelmingly oppose performing such experimental procedures on children. In fact, at least 24 states have banned it.
But the Biden administration is all in on this radical agenda. They even attempted to cut off federal funding for school lunch programs to any school district that refused to allow boys in girls' bathrooms. Now, the administration is threatening hospitals.
Initially, Becerra dodged Rep. Miller's question, but she persisted. After a tense exchange, Becerra finally admitted the truth. He said, "If a health-care facility is violating the law and not providing the service they are required to, they are not entitled to federal funding."
So, the Biden administration is intent on forcing medical professionals to violate their religious beliefs, or they will cut off a hospital's federal funds.
JDFI condemns this attack on religious liberty and conscience rights. We are hopeful that this outrageous mandate will be blocked by the federal courts and ultimately repealed.