This HHS mandate makes the last one look like a walk in the park.

For the Colson Center, I'm John Stone Street with the Point.

The Department of Health and Human Services is crafting a new rule that could force religious

employers, insurers and health care providers, doctors, to pay for and provide, among

other things, gender transitions.

The National Catholic Register broke the story.

According to court filings, progressive activist groups have demanded that HHS expand its definition of discrimination based on sex to include gender identity. This would reverse the narrower Trump administration rule, which provided religious exemptions. These groups, including Planned Parenthood and the Southern Poverty Law Center were part of a task force advising HHS on this new rule.

According to the Catholic Benefits Association, if HHS follows the recommendations, it would effectively remove all religious considerations from issues around life, marriage, family, and the very nature of men and women, forcing religious health care providers to choose between

their convictions and their existence. This would be disastrous, as far as religious freedom goes.

It's an all-hands-on-deck moment. If Americans' first liberty is to have a future, this cannot be

allowed to happen. I'm John Stone Street.