Old North News

Washington, D.C. — On July 28, 2023, Senators Ted Budd (R-NC) and James Lankford (R-OK) led a coalition of 26 Senators to introduce a resolution of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to overturn a rule from the Department of Labor (DOL) that threatens religious liberty protections for faith based organizations.

The CRA is supported by the following Senators:

• Ted Budd (R-NC)
• James Lankford (R-OK)
• Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)
• John Barrasso (R-WY)
• Ted Cruz (R-TX)
• Marco Rubio (R-FL)
• Rick Scott (R-FL)
• John Cornyn (R-TX)
• Mike Braun (R-IN)
• JD Vance (R-OH)
• Roger Marshall (R-KS)
• Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS)
• Josh Hawley (R-MO)
• Bill Cassidy (R-LA)
• Roger Wicker (R-MS)
• Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
• Steve Daines (R-MT)
• Katie Britt (R-AL)
• Kevin Cramer (R-ND)
• Mike Lee (R-UT)
• Jim Risch (R-ID)
• Bill Hagerty (R-TN)
• Tommy Tuberville (R-AL)
• John Thune (R-SD)
• Mike Crapo (R-ID)

Background:

In 2020, the Trump Department of Labor issued a rule clarifying protections for faith-based federal contractors. 

The 2020 rule recognized religious organizations’ eligibility to participate in federal contracts while maintaining their autonomy and right to express their religious beliefs without undue burden. 

The rule builds upon recent Supreme Court decisions that have limited the government’s ability to exclude faith-based organizations from government programs.

On March 1, 2023, the Biden Department of Labor formally rescinded the Trump administration rule.

The CRA will undo the Biden administration’s actions to ensure that organizations seeking federal contracts with the Department of Labor are able to live out their faith while serving others.

Sen. Budd said in a statement:

“President Trump’s rule was an important step to strengthen religious liberty protections for faith-based contractors. The Biden Administration’s reversal of this rule needlessly targets faith-based organizations that simply want to serve our communities alongside their secular counterparts without violating their religious beliefs. I am pleased to join this effort to keep the appropriate protections in place to ensure employers of faith are able to operate within their values.”

Senator Lankford said:

“Federal contractors should not have to check their faith at the door because they want to do business with the federal government. The First Amendment is clear that everyone in our nation has the right to have a faith, live their faith, change their faith, or have no faith at all. No American should be forced by any Administration to choose between their First Amendment freedom and doing business with the federal government. I remain strongly opposed to the Biden Administration’s ongoing push to trample on Americans’ right to live their faith.”

Original source can be found here.