Nadler, Cohen denounce Trump Admin’s decision to remove healthcare protections for vulnerable communities

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) and Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties Chair Steve Cohen (D-TN) have denounced the Trump administration’s decision to remove health care protections for vulnerable communities, including LGBTQ persons.

The Trump administration’s new rule also eliminates nondiscrimination protections for women and persons with limited English proficiency.

The administration announced the finalized rule on June 12, which is the anniversary of the deadliest incident of violence against the US LGBTQ community, the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida.

Today, Chairman Nadler and Representative Cohen sent a letter to Attorney General William Barr and Health and Human Services Secretary Alex M. Azar and stressed that access to health care is more essential during these times.

“We write to express our grave concern with your efforts to limit the provision of healthcare to vulnerable communities, including LGBTQ people, women, and individuals with limited English proficiency,” say Nadler and Cohen in the letter. “As our nation faces a pandemic it has not seen in over one hundred years – with over two million Americans infected and over 100,000 dead – access to healthcare is essential now more than ever.”

The letter says that the House Judiciary Committee is responsible for ensuring that federal law does not end up discriminating against vulnerable populations.

“The House Judiciary Committee has a duty to ensure that the administration of justice within executive branch agencies applies equally to all persons, and that federal law is not twisted into a cudgel to discriminate against vulnerable populations,” says the letter.

Nadler and Cohen requested all documents and information on the development and implementation of this rule by June 29.

Read the detailed letter on Nadler’s official website, here.