President Donald Trump signed a religious liberty executive order today that would protect Christian organizations like the Little Sisters of the Poor from being forced to pay for abortions.
“Freedom is not a gift from government. It is a gift from God,” Trump said in signing the order. “We are here to defend the rights of all Americans.”
Today is the National Day of Prayer and the White House is celebrating the occasion with Christian leaders by scheduling the order signing today. The order is a promise to respect religious rights and could pave the way for the Trump administration dropping the lawsuit the Obama administration was fighting against the Little Sisters and dozens of Christian entities not wanting to pay for abortions or abortion-causing drugs.
The order indicates the Trump administration will “provide regulatory relief for religious objectors to Obamacare’s burdensome preventive services mandate, a position supported by the Supreme Court decision in Hobby Lobby.”
Family Research Council President Tony Perkins was at the White House for the signing ceremony of an executive order protecting religious liberty. He told LifeNews.com that the new order ensures the freedom of all Americans to believe and act in accordance with their beliefs. The executive order makes clear that the administration will pursue policies that “protect and vigorously promote religious liberty.”
“The President’s executive order is a clear reflection of his campaign promise to protect the religious freedoms of Americans. President Trump is taking a significant first step to defending religious liberty. In working with the Trump administration, it is clear that they both recognize and understand the dangers of the anti-faith policies of the previous administration and are therefore committed to undoing those policies and restoring true religious freedom,” he said. “The freedom to live out faith in all areas of society without government punishment or intimidation is what has made America great.”
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“Finally, the federal government realizes the immoral and insane mandate that forces organizations like the Little Sisters of the Poor to include contraception and abortifacients in their healthcare plans,” he said. “This step today starts the process of reversing the devastating trend set by the last administration to punish charities, pastors, family owned businesses and honest, hard-working people simply for living according to their faith. This trend is in part why 60 percent of Trump voters in the last election said they were more likely to vote for him because the GOP platform is very clear on religious liberty and unborn life.”
Kelly Shackelford, President and CEO of First Liberty Institute, also applauded the order.
He told LifeNews: “President Trump’s executive order on religious liberty should be both unnecessary and unremarkable. Yet activists have pledged to challenge President Trump in court for supporting the First Amendment. Our country was founded on the promise that its government would respect the religious liberty of its people. First Liberty will do everything in our power to support this effort for America’s first liberty—religious freedom.”
Since taking office just over 100 days ago, President Donald Trump and his administration have provided the pro-life movement with several major victories.
Trump started with reinstating the Mexico City policy defunding International Planned Parenthood and continued with defunding the pro-abortion UNFPA and signing a bill to allow states to defund Planned Parenthood abortion company.
Trump also put pro-life advocates in key places such as Jeff Sessions as Attorney General, Tom Price as HHS Secretary and Nikki Haley as UN Ambassador.
“Donald Trump ran as a pro-life candidate and pledged he would have a pro-life administration, and he has made good on his word,” said Carol Tobias, president of National Right to Life. “President Trump remains steadfast in his pro-life position, and we are excited by his pro-life accomplishments in his first 100 days in office. I have no doubt that President Trump’s leadership on behalf of the pro-life cause will continue to not only save lives of the unborn, but help pave the way for generations to come.”
Tobias added, “This is a great time for the right-to-life movement, and we take heart in knowing that the Trump Administration will continue its work to defend and protect the fundamental right to life in the United States.”
