Liberty Counsel

“Equality Act” Guts Religious Freedom

WASHINGTON, D.C. – HR 5, in the U.S. House, and S. 788, in the Senate, misnamed the “Equality Act,” takes the unpreceded step of eliminating the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 (RFRA) as a claim or defense to the application of many federal laws. This bill drastically alters religious freedom in all cases, not just those involving LGBT. For example, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 permits houses of worship to make employment decisions based on religion. This recognizes the essential right for houses of worship to employ those who align with their religious doctrine. The “Equality Act” would abolish this fundamental right. Catholic and Christian churches could be forced to hire atheists. If a synagogue preferred a Jew over a Muslim, it would not be able to raise RFRA as a claim or defense.

Protecting Children Is Common Sense

ATLANTA, GA – Georgia became the next state to protect unborn children today when Governor Brian Kemp signed the “Living Infants Fairness and Equality (LIFE) Act” that will prohibit abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detectable in the womb, which is as early as five to six weeks of pregnancy. The law will become effective Jan. 1, 2020.

Protecting Healthcare Workers Who Oppose Abortion

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a final conscience rule today that protects healthcare individuals and entities from providing and participating in services such as abortion, sterilization, or assisted suicide procedures that violate their religious and moral beliefs.

Praying for America

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Tomorrow is the 36th annual National Day of Prayer where people across the nation will gather for a day of prayer for the United States of America. The theme this year is “Love One Another,” taken from the words of Jesus in John 13:34, “Love one another. Just as I have loved you.”

Activist Judges Force Taxpayer Funding of Abortion

WASHINGTON, D.C. – A federal judge has attempted to block President Donald Trump’s administration’s rule designed to restrict Title X family planning funds from funding abortion.

Kansas High Court Approves Dismemberment

TOPEKA, KANSAS – The Kansas Supreme Court has ruled that the state constitution allegedly protects the “right” for a woman to dismember her child in the womb, a barbaric and dangerous abortion procedure to kill fully-formed unborn babies. This Kansas law prohibits “knowingly dismembering a living unborn child and extracting unborn child one piece at a time from the uterus.”

Court Ruling Hurts Children

PHILADELPHIA, PA -- The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit ruled this week that the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania can force a Catholic adoption agency to close because it refuses to compromise its religious beliefs by placing foster children with same-sex couples. In its lawsuit against the city of Philadelphia, foster parents licensed through the Catholic Social Services sought an order to require the city to renew its contract, arguing that the city’s decision violated its religious freedom under the Constitution.

SCOTUS Takes Up Employment Cases

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Supreme Court announced it would hear three cases this fall regarding whether federal anti-discrimination laws should apply to “sexual orientation” and “gender identity.” Decisions in the cases are expected by June 2020.

Twitter Says Goodbye to SPLC

SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- Twitter has finally distanced itself from the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) after the implosion regarding the ongoing sexual harassment, racial discrimination and donor deception inside the organization. The SPLC hypocritically labels Christian, pro-family, and conservative nonviolent groups, such as Liberty Counsel, as “hate groups.”

Protecting Children from Barbaric Death

BISMARCK, ND – Governor Doug Burgum signed a bill yesterday protecting North Dakota children from dismemberment abortions, a barbaric and dangerous procedure typically used in the second trimester to kill nearly fully-formed, living unborn babies. Doctors performing this would face a felony, punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. An exception exists for medical emergencies.

"Free" Chemical Abortions on CA Campuses

SACRAMENTO, CA – The California Senate Health Committee recently voted 7-2 to force taxpayer-funded universities to continually appropriate the funds needed to provide “free” chemical abortions to students on campus by 2023. Introduced in December 2018 by state Senator Connie Leyva (D), SB 24 would require student health centers on all University of California and California State University campuses to offer chemical abortions to students up to 10 weeks of pregnancy, beginning in January 2023. To fund the mandate, the bill allocates $200,000 grants to each of California’s 33 public university student health centers, covering the costs of “medication abortion readiness” which includes the purchase of equipment, facility and security upgrades, and training staff members.

Push to Outlaw Infanticide in the U.S. House

Washington D.C. – Today, is the first day that U.S. Representatives can sign a discharge petition that would require the Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protections Act to have a full vote on the U.S. House floor. Pro-life legislators will hold a press conference today at the House Triangle at 11:30 AM. Then the petition will open up on the House floor around 12:45 PM today. The petition must have 218 legislators sign it to require this vote.

Dangerous Assault on Women

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Members of the U.S. House have introduced H.R. 5, known as the so-called “Equality Act,” which is an assault on women and girls’ safety, privacy, and athletic endeavors.

No Taxpayer Dollars for Abortions

WASHINGTON, D.C.--Secretary of State Pompeo announced today that the U.S. State Department will enforce, to the broadest extent possible, regulations under the Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance program that protects U.S. foreign aid funding from being used to pay for or promote abortion overseas. While the State Department will continue to refuse to provide assistance to foreign nongovernmental organizations that "perform or actively promote abortion as a method of family planning," the State Department will also refuse to provide assistance to foreign nongovernmental organizations that give to other foreign groups in the global abortion industry.

The Hypocrisy of SPLC

MONTGOMERY, AL--After the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) fired co-founder Morris Dees on March 13, the longstanding hypocritical behavior of ongoing sexual harassment and racial discrimination have re-surfaced inside the organization. Then, just after 5:00 PM last Friday, Richard Cohen, the president, sent an email to staff submitting his resignation. This is the same SPLC that maliciously labels Christian, pro-family and conservative nonviolent groups as "hate groups" in order to advance its enormous fundraising efforts while misleading its donors into thinking the SPLC needs the funds in order to advance justice.

Mississippi Heartbeat Bill Victory

JACKSON, MS – Governor Phil Bryant signed a “heartbeat” abortion ban into law today at a ceremony at the Mississippi State Capitol, making this the largest state to ban abortion once a fetal heartbeat can be detected.

Trump Recognizes Israeli Sovereignty over Golan Heights

WASHINGTON, D.C. – President Donald Trump announced today that the United States will recognize Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights. Israel captured the Golan Heights or Bashan, as it was known, in its defensive war against Syria. The U.S. since referred to the Golan Heights as “Israeli-occupied” land rather than owned by Israel, which under international law, it had a right to claim as territory gained in a defensive war.

Heartbeat Bill Victory in Kentucky

FRANKFORT, KY – Kentucky’s House passed Senate Bill 9, a fetal heartbeat bill, by a vote of 71 to 19 last night. SB 9 bans most abortions in the state once a fetal heartbeat is detected. The measure requires anyone seeking an abortion to first determine if a fetal heartbeat is detectable, typically about six weeks into pregnancy. The bill now moves on to Governor Matt Bevin’s desk.

Education Department Protects Religious Freedom

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The U.S. Department of Education will no longer enforce a restriction that previously prohibited school districts from contracting with faith-based organizations to provide equitable services to vulnerable children solely due to their religious affiliation.

- Wednesday, March 13, 2019