As the Trump Administration continues to grossly mishandle the COVID-19 pandemic and sidelines its own public health experts, the Congressional Freethought Caucus is standing up for scientific integrity. Founder and Co-Chair of the Congressional Freethought Caucus, Rep. Jared Huffman, wrote the following in a public letter, to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, asking HHS to remove its ban on government scientists using fetal tissue that women choose to donate to research after an abortion.
“We urge you to prioritize science during an unprecedented global health emergency and remove all barriers to lifesaving research.” The letter was signed by four fellow members of the caucus and eight colleagues outside of the caucus. The caucus is also supporting legislation that would make it harder for the president to disband or undermine scientific advisory committees. Read more about the work of Congressional Freethought Caucus in this Washington Post article, including their efforts to address blasphemy and apostasy laws abroad, oppose the Muslim ban, defend the right of ex-Muslims on Facebook, and increase access to secular alternatives to faith-based 12-step programs.