Biden-Harris Admin to Pay $210K for Trying to Force Christian Businesses to Pay for Trans Treatment
The Biden-Harris administration has agreed to pay $210,000 in attorneys' fees and costs to a group of Christian companies and organizations who sued the administration over its policies on gender transitions.
As CBN News reported earlier this year, a U.S. district court ruled faith-based healthcare providers and employers are exempt from performing or paying for harmful "gender transition" surgeries, procedures, and counseling in violation of their religious beliefs.
The Christian Employers Alliance (CEA), a group that says it is "driven by the purpose of courageously defending the freedoms of Christian business owners," challenged the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Human Services Department in 2021 with the help of the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF).
The group alleged that an EEOC rule requiring employers to provide and pay for health insurance that covers gender transition treatments and an HHS rule requiring healthcare workers to participate in gender transition surgeries and treatments violated their rights under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
In March, U.S. District Judge Daniel M. Traynor granted summary judgment to CEA stating that while Title IX protects against discrimination on the basis of sex, it doesn't apply to religious institutions if it would require them to go against their faith-based beliefs.
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Traynor found that "CEA's religious beliefs are substantially burdened by the monetary penalties it faces for refusing to violate its beliefs."
"Performing or providing health care coverage for gender transition services under the EEOC and HHS coverage mandates impinges upon CEA's beliefs," the court wrote. "CEA must either comply with the EEOC and HHS mandates by violating their sincerely held religious beliefs or else face harsh consequences like paying fines and facing civil liability… (but) religious freedom cannot be encumbered on a case-by-case basis."
The CEA celebrated the ruling.
"We are overjoyed our members will not have to choose between the biblically based employee benefits and quality healthcare they provide, and the threat of federal enforcement and massive costs for practicing their faith," said Christian Employers Alliance President Shannon Royce.
In the wake of this year's ruling, the ADF has now been successful in getting the administration to pay attorney's fees and other costs. The group also filed a stipulated dismissal of the remaining claims in the case.
"The employers we represent believe that God purposefully created humans as either male or female and so it would violate their religious beliefs to pay for or perform life-altering medical procedures or surgeries that seek to change one's sex," said ADF Senior Counsel and Director of Regulatory Practice Matt Bowman.
"We're pleased to favorably conclude this lawsuit on behalf of our clients and hold the administration accountable for trying to force unlawful mandates that disrespect people of faith," Bowman added.
