Religious Freedom vs. LGBTQ Rights The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) proposed a new rule in November 2019 that would allow HHS grant recipients, including adoption and foster care agencies, to decline services to individuals on the basis of their sexual orientation and gender identity. The proposed rule, which was announced on the first day of National Adoption Month, would roll back a 2016 regulation that added nondiscrimination language to grant-funded programs to protect the rights of LGBTQ individuals. As it stands, federal law does not provide consistent protection against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation…

Legislation on College Affordability and Student Debt More than half of young adults in the U.S. who have attended college took on some debt, including student loans, to pay for their education, according to a 2019 Federal Reserve Board study. The Fed also estimates that the current amount of student loan debt in the United States is more than $1.6 trillion and that 20% of those who still owe money are behind in their payments. Congress recently took up the issue of student loan reform with both Democrats and Republicans introducing legislation aimed at lowering the cost of college and…