Civil and Human Rights Coalition Denounces Latest Trump Effort to Create a License to Discriminate

WASHINGTON – Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement in response to the Trump administration’s announcement of a proposed rule through the Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (OCR) to allow health care providers to discriminate against patients, and the creation of a division at OCR to address related claims.

“Yet again, the Trump administration is seeking to create a license to discriminate, this time for health care providers.  Discrimination is not an American value, period. This proposed rule would allow providers to ignore their medical training and guidelines, and instead allow their personal religious beliefs to determine how a patient should be treated. The new division is unneeded. These changes will unnecessarily put lives at risk, especially harming women and the LGBTQ community.

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 200 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.