Bipartisan Bill Moves to Protect Religious Foster Care
(Worthy News) – Lawmakers are considering a bill to protect religious foster care and adoption agencies in response to recent crackdowns on religious charities by state and local governments.
Rep. Mike Kelly (R., Penn.) is sponsoring legislation aimed at protecting the religious liberty of charities that provide adoption and foster care services. The bipartisan bill, called the Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act, would prohibit agencies that receive federal funding from excluding organizations based on their sincerely held beliefs.
The bill strikes close to home for the Pennsylvania Republican. One of the state’s largest foster care agencies, Catholic Social Services, could be shuttered amid a shortage crisis after Philadelphia used discrimination ordinances to cut off agencies that do not support gay marriage. Kelly said lawmakers should be increasing options for placing needy children, rather than taking them away to advance a political agenda. [ Source: Washington Free Beacon (Read More…) ]