“Across the country, leftist advocacy groups and certain government officials are attempting to impose their orthodoxy of intolerance on faith-based adoption and foster care providers. As these providers face the difficult choice to either compromise their beliefs or close their doors, children ultimately pay the price. I’m extremely grateful that Tennessee lawmakers have made a courageous decision to keep kids first.

“Faith-based adoption and foster care providers have existed for decades, serving the needs of vulnerable children and the families who hope to provide them with a forever home. These organizations are often founded on Christian beliefs and operate according to their faith. These exemplary entities often believe—consistent with Scripture and social science—that children fare best when they are raised by a mother and father.

“Advocacy groups such as the ACLU are unwilling to tolerate such beliefs or the accomplished service organizations that hold them. Accordingly, they seek to pass laws that compel faith-based providers to place children in homes with same-sex couples. The end result is that faith-based providers may be forced to close their doors and fewer children will find a forever home.

“The common-sense law passed by the Tennessee legislature protects the First Amendment rights of adoption and foster care providers and enables them to operate according to their beliefs without fear of government punishment.

“Join me in commending those members who supported this legislation, and please encourage Governor Bill Lee to sign the bill into law as promised.”