The Department of Health and Human Services could not force foster parents to accept gender ideology or restrict the work of faith-based foster care organizations under a bill filed this week by Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan.
The legislation would block HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra from implementing a proposed placement rule that would dictate that minors who identify as LGBTQ be placed with providers who agree to affirm a child’s gender identity, pronouns and provide them “services that are necessary to support their health and well-being,” including hormone treatments and surgery. The measure was co-sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., and in the House by Rep. Josh Brecheen, R-Okla.
“All children in foster care, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, deserve safe and proper placement,” Marshall told the Daily Wire. “This extreme proposal by the HHS instead discriminates against faith-based homes and loving foster parents in pursuit of pushing their radical gender ideology and pronoun politics on religious families.”
Marshall’s bill would stop HHS from finalizing, implementing or enforcing the proposed rule or a similar measure.
“This rule would have an especially devastating impact in rural areas across the country, where there are fewer foster care providers than children in need of safe homes,” he said. “This administration needs to leave the politics out of it and help as many kids that need their love, care and support as possible.”
Marshall previously wrote a letter to Becerra outlining his concerns with the rule but has not yet heard. The Kansas Republican noted that the rule could have the effect of forcing Christian foster services from being able to work with states to provide homes for children. He also said the rule could cause conflict in states where transgender procedures on children have been banned.
“These procedures can cause irreparable harm to children, many of whom have inconsistent parental guidance and lack the physiological development that is necessary to make an informed decision of such consequence,” the letter said. “States should not be penalized for acting to protect the children of their state.”
–Alan Goforth | Metro Voice
