WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), and 15 of their colleagues introduced the Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act. This legislation protects child welfare providers from being discriminated against for acting in accordance with their deeply held religious beliefs and prohibits federal, state, and local government agencies that receive federal adoption assistance funding from discriminating against child welfare service providers based on the providers’ unwillingness to take action contrary to their sincerely held religious beliefs.
“Adoption is truly Heaven’s work, yet the religious organizations that work tirelessly to place children in the best homes are often legally required to ignore their religious doctrine or risk closing their doors for good,” said Risch. “In an effort to protect religious adoption and foster care agencies, with my colleagues, we are introducing the Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act to protect faith-based adoption agencies from this discrimination and ensure they can to provide life-changing adoption services.”
“Faith-based foster care organizations have provided reliable, effective resources to countless families and children with nowhere else to go,” said Scott. “Despite their success, President Biden has caved to the far-left, making it harder for these organizations to provide critical services and leaving the kids who need them most out in the cold. I’m fighting back to protect religious freedom and support the incredible work of these invaluable organizations.”
The Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act is also cosponsored by Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), and John Barrasso (R-Wyo.).
The Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act has been endorsed by the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Heritage Action, Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee and the Family Research Council.
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