Worthy Christian News > US News > House Republicans introduce bill to protect religious foster carers from forced affirmation of LGBTQ childrens’ gender identity

House Republicans introduce bill to protect religious foster carers from forced affirmation of LGBTQ childrens’ gender identity

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – House Republicans have introduced a bill that would prevent the Biden administration from implementing a proposed rule requiring foster care agencies to place LGBTQ children only with families who specifically affirm their stated gender identities, thus excluding religious families who oppose gay and gender ideology, the Christian Post (CP) reports.

The bill is titled Protecting Religious Freedom for Foster Families Act, and was introduced by Reps. Josh Brecheen, R-Okla., and Mary Miller, R-Ill., on Wednesday.

Submitted to the Federal Register on Sept. 28, the Biden’s administration’s proposal contends, among other things, that LGBTQ foster children must “experience supportive environments and services” that allow them to live consistently with their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.” The proposed rule also details “requirements to ensure children in foster care who identify as LGBTQI+ are provided with placements the agency designates as safe and appropriate for an LGBTQI+ child, and with services that are necessary to support their health and wellbeing, CP reports.

“To be considered a safe and appropriate placement, a provider is expected to utilize the child’s identified pronouns, chosen name, and allow the child to dress in an age-appropriate manner that the child believes reflects their self-identified gender identity and expression,” the rule proposal continues.
In a statement about the introduction of her bill to counter the proposed rule, Rep. Miller said: “Through this proposed rule, Biden’s HHS is circumventing Congressional authority and forcing foster families to violate their deeply held religious conviction. Parents must continue to fight Joe Biden’s radical attempts to eliminate parental rights while he pushes chemical castration on vulnerable children without parental knowledge or consent.”

Accordingly, the Protecting Religious Freedom for Foster Families Act seeks to “prohibit the Secretary of Health and Human Services from finalizing, implementing, or enforcing the proposed rule, entitled ‘Safe and Appropriate Foster Care Placement Requirements for Titles IV–E and IV– B,’” CP reports.