Menendez, Booker, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Block Trump Administration's Rule Permitting Widespread Discrimination in Health Care

Statement

U.S. Senators Bob Menendez, a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee that sets national health policy, and Cory Booker joined a group of colleagues, led by Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), in introducing legislation that would codify into law the recent Southern District of New York decision blocking the Trump Administration's attempt to allow doctors to refuse lifesaving care on religious or "conscience" bases, and further safeguard the health of all Americans. A companion version of the bill was introduced in the House of Representatives by Reps. Chris Pappas (D-N.H.), and Barbara Lee (D-Calif.).

The Put Patients First Act would permanently block the Trump Administration's rule, which was finalized earlier this year that permits widespread discrimination in health care by allowing personal beliefs, rather than medical science, to dictate patient health care. This rule allows virtually any individual or entity involved in a patient's care -- from a hospital's board of directors to a receptionist that schedules procedures -- to withhold care based on personal beliefs.

"Health care providers must put a patient's medical needs ahead of any personal views or religious beliefs that could hinder treatment and jeopardize their recovery," said Sen. Menendez. "Despite attempts by the Trump Administration to shift priorities when it comes to providing health care, we must protect the rights of patients and safeguard them from potential discrimination. That's what this legislation does by taking politics out of Americans' health care."

"We need to put the health of patients first and ensure personal beliefs aren't used as a callous excuse to refuse care and do harm to others," Sen. Booker said. "As the Trump Administration continues to attack and undermine care for women, the LGBTQ community, and others, this legislation will fight for patients and protect them from discrimination."

"Personal beliefs should never determine the care a patient receives," said Fatima Goss Graves, President and CEO of the National Women's Law Center (NWLC). "This bill will literally put the health needs of patients first -- from a woman seeking care following a miscarriage to a transgender patient seeking a basic medical check-up. We applaud Representatives Lee and Pappas, and Senator Murray, for fighting back against this Administration's harmful attacks on health care."

"Freedom of religion is a fundamental right, but personal beliefs cannot be used to discriminate against or harm others," said Ronald Newman, National Political Director at the ACLU. "That's why we are proud to stand with Representatives Lee and Pappas and Senator Murray in support of this legislation to ensure that patients are not refused health care on the basis of others' beliefs. The Trump Administration's latest attempt to license discrimination targeting LGBTQ people and all women cannot go unchecked by our elected representatives."

This legislation has been endorsed by the ACLU, Center for American Progress, Center for Reproductive Rights, Guttmacher Institute, Human Rights Campaign, In Our Own Voice: National Black Women's Reproductive Justice Agenda, Lambda Legal, The LGBTQ Task Force, NARAL, National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum, National Abortion Federation, National Center for Transgender Equality, National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health, National LGBTQ Task Force, National Women's Law Center, Physicians for Reproductive Health, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

Joining Senators Menendez, Booker and Murray are Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Kamala Harris (D- Calif.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), and Ben Cardin (D-Md.).

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