Today, Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) and Rep. James Comer (R-KY), Republican Leaders of the Education and Labor Committee, submitted a comment letter to Acting Secretary Patrick Pizzella supporting the Department of Labor’s (DOL) proposed rule to protect religious liberty.
In the letter, Reps. Foxx and Comer write: "We are committed to protecting religious freedom for all Americans, including federal contractors. The proposed rule clarifies the protections given to religious organizations that contract with the federal government. The proposed rule, which is backed by federal law and Supreme Court precedents, will provide certainty and predictability for federal contractors, encouraging more employers to participate in the federal contracting system. We urge DOL to adopt the proposed rule in a timely manner."
NOTE: Religious organizations have been discouraged from seeking federal contracts because of uncertainty surrounding the current religious exemption. Reps. Foxx and Comer’s comment letter in response to the DOL Notice of Proposed Rulemaking states that the proposed rule will benefit both the contracting system and taxpayers when additional qualified organizations bid for contracts, which will increase competition and provide needed goods and services that may otherwise not be available.
To read the full letter to the Department of Labor, click here.
