Pregnant Workers Fairness Act

Floor Speech

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Ms. LETLOW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 1065.

As a working mother who has two beautiful children, I support reasonable accommodations for pregnant workers. Many of the provisions in the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act are admirable. However, it is equally important to protect First Amendment rights of our religious organizations, hospitals, and schools, including those located in the Fifth District of Louisiana.

Under this bill, organizations could be forced to make employment- related decisions that conflict with their faith and sacrifice their religious rights. For example, a faith-based employer could be deemed in violation of this bill if it does not accommodate an employee's request for paid time off to undergo an abortion.

Also, if signed into law, this bill allows an independent and uncontrollable Federal agency to make additional rules and regulations that could further erode religious liberties. It leaves decisionmaking in the hands of unelected government bureaucrats.

Therefore, Congress must include a religious freedom exemption in the base text of this bill. When it comes to religious freedom and pro-life issues, we should not allow bureaucrats and potentially the judicial system to make decisions by reading between the lines. We must send a clear message that religious freedom is nonnegotiable.

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