Yesterday, 50 Members of the House of Representatives joined Congressman William Timmons (SC-04) in sending a letter to Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar. The letter commends HHS’ recent notice of proposed rulemaking which would roll-back harmful Obama Administration regulations which infringed upon the religious liberty of faith-based foster care providers across the United States, including Miracle Hill Ministries in Greenville, SC.

“I want to thank each of my colleagues in Congress who joined me in advocating on behalf of the many faith-based foster care providers throughout our country,” said Congressman Timmons. “The faith community has a long and rich history of providing homes for vulnerable children. It was unfortunate that the previous administration chose to punish those willing to serve the least fortunate in our communities because of the very same religious beliefs which inspired their charity. I am thrilled the Trump Administration recognized their predecessors’ error and have proposed a remedy, and I look forward to the proposed regulations being finalized. The well-being of foster children across the country depends on it.”

Click here to view the letter and here to read Congressman Timmons’ op-ed on this topic from earlier this year.

Notable Reactions

“We applaud the courageous leadership of Representative Timmons and other Members of Congress defending the religious freedom rights of faith-based child welfare providers,” said Reid Lehman, President and CEO of Miracle Hill Ministries. “Last year Miracle Hill Ministries served 434 South Carolina foster children, 171 of whom were successfully reunited with their families and 31 of whom were adopted.  Although we are grateful for the 2019 HHS waiver allowing us to continue operating, this temporary remedy must become permanent and extend to all faith-based providers caring for our nation's most vulnerable children.  Now is the time for HHS to change this burdensome, unlawful regulation.”

“This new regulation from the Trump administration is a welcome signal that the child-welfare system is about the welfare of children—not proxy culture wars. The previous administration's policy change excluded faith-based organizations with convictions about the need for a child to have both a mother and a father. The children in our foster system are facing a crisis as tens of thousands age out of the program each year,” said Russell Moore, President of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention. “Every American ought to be able to come together to solve this problem. This move is a good start in that direction.”