Trump Signs Executive Order On Religious Politicking, Contraceptives

FEATURING BARRY LYNN – Republican House members passed a repeal of the Affordable Care Act on Thursday and replaced it with their version of a healthcare system that is just as convoluted and attacks the ban on using preexisting conditions to deny care. It remains to be seen if the US Senate will pass the bill too.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump is signing an executive order this week aimed at pleasing the Christian evangelical constituencies that helped elect him. An early draft of the order took aim at the LGBTQ community in allowing for homophobic establishments and individuals to not serve them.

But what Trump signed was his commitment to relaxing the Johnson amendment, which is tax a provision that prohibits all non-profit organizations such as churches from endorsing or opposing political candidates. The EO also allows for institutions to withhold contraceptive coverage under the Affordable Care Act, to their employees on the basis that it somehow violates their religious beliefs.

Find more at www.au.org.

Barry Lynn, Executive Director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State.