Violating Conscience Protections for Healthcare Professionals

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra has filed an appeal with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to force doctors to perform “gender transition surgery” in violation of their conscience and professional medical judgment. Becerra is attempting to overturn a January ruling by the U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota in which the court blocked a requirement known as the so-called “Transgender Mandate.” This would force medical professionals and religious hospitals to perform surgery on and provide hormone drugs to people when doing so would violate their sincerely held religious beliefs.