SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pro-choice supporters and staff of Planned Parenthood hold a rally outside the Planned Parenthood Reproductive Health Services Center in St. Louis, Missouri, May 31, 2019.(Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)
'Great News!': Federal Court Voids Trump Administration's Discriminatory 'Conscience Rule'
Trump's Department of Health and Human Services, wrote District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer, promulgated the rule "arbitrarily and capriciously."
Nov 05, 2019
A federal judge on Wednesday voided the Trump administration's so-called "conscience rule" that opponents said would have given healthcare providers license to discriminate.
\u201cBREAKING: Today, a federal district court has BLOCKED the Trump administration from providing health care workers a #LicenseToDiscriminate.\n\nLet's be clear: all patients should be able to access the care they need without judgment or discrimination. Health care is a human right.\u201d— Planned Parenthood Action (@Planned Parenthood Action) 1573064278
"Great news! A federal judge just blocked Trump's harmful and discriminatory refusal of care rule," Rep.Barbara Lee wrote on Twitter. "No one should be denied care because of a provider's personal beliefs."
Trump's Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) promulgated the rule "arbitrarily and capriciously," wrote District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer in his 147-page ruling.
Engelmayer added that HHS's violations of federal law were "numerous, fundamental, and far-reaching," as NPRÂ noted.
As Common Dreams previously reported,
Under the rule, opponents fear doctors and nurses would be given carte blanche to refuse to administer any medical procedure--with abortion care, gender confirmation surgery and hormone therapy for transgender patients, euthanasia, and sterilization likely coming under attack.
Employers would also be able to refuse to provide insurance coverage for procedures they consider objectionable.
New York Attorney General Letitia James, who led a coalition of states and municipalities in suing the administration over the rule, praised the decision.
"Healthcare is a basic right that should never be subject to political games," James said in a statement.
"Once again, the courts have blocked the Trump administration from implementing a discriminatory rule that would only hurt Americans," she continued. "The refusal of care rule was an unlawful attempt to allow healthcare providers to openly discriminate and refuse to provide necessary healthcare to patients based on providers' 'religious beliefs or moral objections.' We will continue to use every tool at our disposal to protect access to healthcare and protect the rights of all individuals."
The rule had been set to take effect November 22.
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
A federal judge on Wednesday voided the Trump administration's so-called "conscience rule" that opponents said would have given healthcare providers license to discriminate.
\u201cBREAKING: Today, a federal district court has BLOCKED the Trump administration from providing health care workers a #LicenseToDiscriminate.\n\nLet's be clear: all patients should be able to access the care they need without judgment or discrimination. Health care is a human right.\u201d— Planned Parenthood Action (@Planned Parenthood Action) 1573064278
"Great news! A federal judge just blocked Trump's harmful and discriminatory refusal of care rule," Rep.Barbara Lee wrote on Twitter. "No one should be denied care because of a provider's personal beliefs."
Trump's Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) promulgated the rule "arbitrarily and capriciously," wrote District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer in his 147-page ruling.
Engelmayer added that HHS's violations of federal law were "numerous, fundamental, and far-reaching," as NPRÂ noted.
As Common Dreams previously reported,
Under the rule, opponents fear doctors and nurses would be given carte blanche to refuse to administer any medical procedure--with abortion care, gender confirmation surgery and hormone therapy for transgender patients, euthanasia, and sterilization likely coming under attack.
Employers would also be able to refuse to provide insurance coverage for procedures they consider objectionable.
New York Attorney General Letitia James, who led a coalition of states and municipalities in suing the administration over the rule, praised the decision.
"Healthcare is a basic right that should never be subject to political games," James said in a statement.
"Once again, the courts have blocked the Trump administration from implementing a discriminatory rule that would only hurt Americans," she continued. "The refusal of care rule was an unlawful attempt to allow healthcare providers to openly discriminate and refuse to provide necessary healthcare to patients based on providers' 'religious beliefs or moral objections.' We will continue to use every tool at our disposal to protect access to healthcare and protect the rights of all individuals."
The rule had been set to take effect November 22.
A federal judge on Wednesday voided the Trump administration's so-called "conscience rule" that opponents said would have given healthcare providers license to discriminate.
\u201cBREAKING: Today, a federal district court has BLOCKED the Trump administration from providing health care workers a #LicenseToDiscriminate.\n\nLet's be clear: all patients should be able to access the care they need without judgment or discrimination. Health care is a human right.\u201d— Planned Parenthood Action (@Planned Parenthood Action) 1573064278
"Great news! A federal judge just blocked Trump's harmful and discriminatory refusal of care rule," Rep.Barbara Lee wrote on Twitter. "No one should be denied care because of a provider's personal beliefs."
Trump's Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) promulgated the rule "arbitrarily and capriciously," wrote District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer in his 147-page ruling.
Engelmayer added that HHS's violations of federal law were "numerous, fundamental, and far-reaching," as NPRÂ noted.
As Common Dreams previously reported,
Under the rule, opponents fear doctors and nurses would be given carte blanche to refuse to administer any medical procedure--with abortion care, gender confirmation surgery and hormone therapy for transgender patients, euthanasia, and sterilization likely coming under attack.
Employers would also be able to refuse to provide insurance coverage for procedures they consider objectionable.
New York Attorney General Letitia James, who led a coalition of states and municipalities in suing the administration over the rule, praised the decision.
"Healthcare is a basic right that should never be subject to political games," James said in a statement.
"Once again, the courts have blocked the Trump administration from implementing a discriminatory rule that would only hurt Americans," she continued. "The refusal of care rule was an unlawful attempt to allow healthcare providers to openly discriminate and refuse to provide necessary healthcare to patients based on providers' 'religious beliefs or moral objections.' We will continue to use every tool at our disposal to protect access to healthcare and protect the rights of all individuals."
The rule had been set to take effect November 22.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.