Celebrating the introduction of the “Every Child Deserves a Family” Act in the House of Representatives, Katy Joseph, Interfaith Alliance policy and legislative advisor, called on members of Congress to promote the best interests of all children in the foster care and adoption system by supporting this critical piece of legislation:

“The Every Child Deserves a Family Act (ECDF Act) introduced today by Congressman John Lewis (D-GA) and Congresswoman Jenniffer González Colón (NPP-PR) is an important step toward ensuring that no child faces discrimination during their time in foster care and that qualified prospective parents are not turned away simply because of who they are, what they believe or who they love.

“When foster or adoption agencies receive federal funding, they agree to abide by federal non-discrimination laws. But an increasing number of faith-based agencies are citing religious freedom as an exemption from these laws and rejecting applicants that do not live, love or worship as they do. And government officials are granting the requested exemptions.

“The misinterpretation of religious freedom hurts foster youth by unnecessarily restricting the pool of placements and forcing them to remain in care for longer than necessary. The ECDF Act will prohibit discrimination by any federally funded child welfare agency on the basis of religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and marital status.

“Religious freedom and non-discrimination protections are complementary values, rooted in the fundamental principle that every person should be treated equally under the law. We urge Congress to move quickly to ensure that every child finds a home, and that every family able to provide a safe, supportive and loving home has the opportunity to make their family whole.”

Interfaith Alliance stands with more than 500 child welfare, faith, civil rights and LGBTQ organizations as a part of the Every Child Deserves a Family Campaign, which seeks to end discrimination in foster care, adoption, and child welfare, and to promote affirming care for all foster youth.

Interfaith Alliance celebrates religious freedom by championing individual rights, promoting policies that protect both religion and democracy, and uniting diverse voices to challenge extremism. Founded in 1994, Interfaith Alliance brings together members from 75 faith traditions as well as those without a faith tradition to protect faith and freedom. For more information visit interfaithalliance.org.