January 2026
This joint public comment, submitted by The National Catholic Bioethics Center, the Catholic Medical Association, the National Catholic Partnership on Disability, and the National Association of Catholic Nurses, USA, responds to a proposed HHS rule concerning disability nondiscrimination protections under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. The comment supports clarification of the statutory exclusion of “gender identity disorders not resulting from physical impairments” from the federal definition of disability, while affirming the dignity of every person and the importance of protecting authentic disability rights, religious liberty, conscience protections, and ethical health and social service practices.
