The House passed an amendment to an appropriations bill on Tuesday that blocks funding to a proposed rule requiring foster families to support a child’s “gender identity.”
The rule, which was introduced by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in September, would require families to use their foster child’s “chosen name” and “identified pronouns,” and would potentially transfer foster children away from families who do not let them undergo sex-change surgeries. The House amended the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2024 to block funding to this proposed rule, and prohibited the NHS from using any funds from the appropriations bill to “finalize, implement, administer, or enforce” the rule, according to the amendment. (RELATED: Child Transitioned At The Age Of 6 Due To Being ‘Depressed And Withdrawn,’ Mom Says)
“The federal government should not force foster families to violate their sincerely held religious or moral beliefs in order to house children,” Republican Oklahoma Rep. Joe Brecheen, who authored the amendment, said of the proposed rule. “President Biden’s bureaucrats continue to pursue an anti-Christian, far-Left agenda — all without the authority of Congress.”
Happy to see my amendment to the Labor and Health and Human Services (LHHS) spending bill passed last night.
Like my bill, the Protecting Religious Freedom for Foster Families Act, this amendment would prevent the Biden Admin from worsening our foster care crisis by burdening… pic.twitter.com/MCxin279zG
— Congressman Josh Brecheen (@RepBrecheen) November 15, 2023
Brecheen initially introduced a bill responding to the proposed rule on Nov. 1 in an attempt to prevent the rule and “substantially similar” rules from being implemented or enforced. Republican Reps. Jeff Duncan of South Carolina, Barry Moore of Alabama and Eric Burlison of Missouri backed the measure, and the legislation was endorsed by Concerned Women for America as well as the Congressional Family Caucus, according to Brecheen’s website.
Republican Rep. Andy Ogles of Tennessee introduced a similar amendment to the appropriations bill that would prevent only a section of the proposed rule from going into effect, but the House has not yet voted on his proposed measure, according to the House Committee On Rules.
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