DeLauro Urges HHS Secretary to Rescind Waiver Allowing Discrimination in Adoption and Foster Care Agencies

WASHINGTON, DC – (February 8, 2019) Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) wrote a letter to the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar urging him to rescind the waiver HHS granted to South Carolina that allows for discrimination in adoption and foster care agencies.

"As the Chairwoman of Labor-Health and Human Services-Education Appropriations Subcommittee, I strongly oppose the use of taxpayer dollars to discriminate against potential parents because of their religion or sexual orientation," wrote DeLauro. "Discrimination has absolutely no place in our child welfare services, whether it is anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, or anti-LGBTQ discrimination. Assistant Secretary Johnson stated that she did not issue this waiver "carte blanche" to apply to all states, but if you fail to rescind this waiver, it is an invitation to other states to pursue identical waivers."

A copy of the signed letter is available here.