A group of Republican senators is calling on the Biden administration's Department of Health and Human Services to rescind a proposed rule that would force foster families to verify the so-called “gender identity” of children in their care. daily wire It was reported on Thursday.
Kansas Republican Sen. Roger Marshall wrote: letter On Thursday, he called on Health Department Secretary Xavier Becerra to reconsider the department's proposed rules. The letter also included Republican Sens. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, John Barrasso of Wyoming, Mike Lee of Utah, Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma and Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi. Signed by the congressman.
In September, HHS's Office of Children and Families said,Safe and Appropriate Foster Care Requirements for Titles IV-E and IV-BBlaze News previously reported that this essentially requires foster families to affirm the “self-identified gender identity'' of children in their care. Foster families must refer to children by their chosen name and specific pronouns. Those who do not follow the rules could have their children “removed” from their homes.
According to HHS and the bill's supporters, the bill would protect “LGBTQI+ youth” by providing “safe and appropriate placements.”
The state's foster care system would be prohibited from placing “LGBTQI+-identifying children with providers who unreasonably limit or deny the child's ability to express sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.”
Families may apply for a religious exemption, but the foster care system will “evaluate whether applying that requirement would further their compelling interests and whether less restrictive alternatives are available.” That will be required.
“Thus, even if this rule imposes a substantial burden on religious practice, an exemption may be provided if that burden is necessary to advance a compelling government interest through minimally restrictive measures.'' ,” the proposed rule states.
If enacted, all states would be forced to comply with the measure.
The House passed an amendment to the bill in November that would block funding for the proposed rule, Blaze News previously reported.
Marshall's Thursday letter to HHS, obtained by the Daily Wire, blasted the proposed rule as “narrow-minded.”[ing] A pool of eligible foster families for children. ”
“The premise of this proposal is that foster care providers who do not 'affirm' a child's sexual orientation or gender, which differs from their biological sex, are perpetrating child abuse and are accused of failing to support their foster child. “Health and well-being are shunned,” Marshall wrote.
He added that the measure would “force states to adopt extreme gender ideologies.”
“Congress intentionally gave the states the power to make these decisions, but HHS usurped that power and replaced the states' judgment with its own woke ideology,” Marshall added.
The letter also argued that the rule would negatively impact the number of foster homes available to children by excluding faith-based providers.
“The proposed rule will undoubtedly exacerbate the nation's severe shortage of foster care facilities and foster parents,” Marshall's letter continued. “Furthermore, the rule requires states to provide a means for children to be housed in gender-specific facilities according to their “self-identified gender identity,'' which is important for the safety and security of foster youth. It is inappropriate because children are at different stages of their development. ”
“A foster care provider's first priority should be to provide a safe, loving home for vulnerable children,” Marshall told the Daily Wire. Unfortunately, under the Biden administration, moral and religious values are under attack by the far left's never-ending pursuit of advancing an LGBTQ+ agenda. ”
“We are fighting back against the Biden administration’s woke gender ideology and pronoun politics. Their proposed new rules would remove faith-based foster care providers from helping children in need. It is aimed at eliminating them, but it is not under my watch,” he added.
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