President Donald Trump and his administration are restoring a religious liberty office dismantled under former President Joe Biden. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced on Monday that it is reorganizing its Office of Civil Rights (OCR) and establishing three divisions: the Conscience and Religious Freedom Division, the Civil Rights Division, and the Health Information Privacy, Data, and Cybersecurity Division. The Conscience and Religious Freedom Division was originally established by Trump in 2018, during his first term. Under Biden and his Health Secretary, new California gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra (D), the division was eliminated.
“This reorganization restores the HHS Civil Rights Division and the Conscience and Religious Freedom Division and strengthens the Office for Civil Rights’ ability to defend religious liberty, enforce conscience protections, and combat unlawful discrimination,” Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. said in a statement. He added, “Under President Trump’s leadership, HHS will defend these rights with clarity, accountability, and resolve.” HHS OCR Director Paula M. Stannard said, “This reorganization reinstitutes a structure that rightly prioritizes civil rights and conscience and religious freedom alongside health information privacy and security.” She observed, “All three areas are deserving of subject-matter expertise and distinct senior executive leadership for OCR to best serve the American people.”
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