Equality Act

Resources for the week from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops are available on a designated webpage.

The Equality Act was passed in March by the House of Representatives but faces an uncertain outcome in the Senate, which is split more equally between Democrats and Republicans.

Catholic scholar and legal expert Ryan T. Anderson warned that if the Equality Act is passed it would significantly impact women’s privacy and safety, genuine equality, medical practices and religious liberty.

A March 22 online webinar on the Equality Act focused on criticism that the legislation is so vaguely worded it would harm religious liberty and obscure biological reality.

If it becomes law, the Equality Act, which has been described as a one of President Joe Biden’s top legislative priorities, will be an overreaching use of federal power to shut down religious liberties and traditional views on gender, according to attorneys tracking the measure.

“Rather than offering meaningful protections for individuals, the Equality Act would impose sweeping new norms that negatively impact the unborn, health care, charitable services, schools, personal privacy, athletics, free speech, religious liberties and parental rights,” they said.

Four U.S. bishops, chairmen of U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops committees or subcommittees, have signed on to a letter voicing religious freedom concerns with the Equality Act, introduced in the House this year.

WASHINGTON (CNS) — In a joint letter to Congress March 20, the chairmen of three committees of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops said they oppose […]