The Atlantic

Why Trump's Executive Order on Religious Liberty Left Many Conservatives Dissatisfied

The president has won support from some high-profile evangelicals, but the move fell well short of expectations for many activists.
Source: Evan Vucci / AP

Updated May 4 at 1:20 pm EST

President Trump signed an executive order “promoting free speech and religious liberty” on Thursday. The final version of the order addresses two issues. First, it instructs the Internal Revenue Service to “not take any adverse action against any individual, house of worship, or other religious organization” that endorse or oppose candidates from the pulpit, which is currently outlawed by a provision typically referred to as the Johnson Amendment. “We are giving churches their voices back,” Trump said during a ceremony in the Rose Garden. Second, it instructs the Departments of Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services to consider amending regulations in the Affordable Care Act that require most employers to cover contraception in employee insurance plans. A number of  religious non-profit organizations have been litigating their objections to

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