Senator Roger Marshall (R-KS) is sounding the alarm over a proposed rule from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that, according to him, could jeopardize religious liberty and coerce foster parents into adhering to a specific gender ideology. Leading a group of Republican senators, Marshall sent a letter to HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra expressing deep concerns about the proposed placement rule that would mandate minors identifying as LGBT to be placed with providers who affirm their gender identity, pronouns, and provide specific “services necessary to support their health and well-being.”
Marshall, a staunch defender of moral and religious values, asserts that the Biden Administration’s pursuit of an LGBTQ+ agenda is undermining the principles that should guide foster care providers in placing vulnerable children in safe and loving homes. He contends that the proposed rule would exclude faith-based foster care providers from assisting children in need, framing it as an assault on religious liberties. Marshall and fellow Republican senators argue that the Biden administration’s woke gender ideology and pronoun politics have no place in dictating placement decisions that should be within the jurisdiction of individual states.
The senators express their stance that all children in foster care, irrespective of their sexual orientation or gender identity, deserve proper placement in safe environments. However, they contend that the proposed rule oversteps statutory requirements, compelling states to adopt extreme gender ideology in placement decisions. The senators criticize HHS for usurping the authority that Congress intentionally granted to states in making such determinations and imposing its own woke ideology instead.
In addition to questioning the impact on children’s safety and security, the senators highlight potential conflicts for states working with faith-based foster care organizations. If faith-based organizations resist complying with the proposed placement rule for kids identifying as LGBT, they might face prohibitions from providing homes for children. The senators are also concerned about potential conflicts in states where transgender procedures on children have been banned, emphasizing that states should not face penalties for protecting the well-being of children.
Several Republican attorneys general have already opposed the proposed rule, with Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti indicating a potential legal challenge if the rule is implemented. This conservative perspective emphasizes the need to uphold religious liberties, state authority, and the well-being of foster children without succumbing to what they see as an overreach of the Biden administration’s woke ideology.