If your team is like ours at CBA, many of you have been asking yourselves how the ongoing stream of President Trump’s executive orders might change the legal landscape for you.
For example, his common-sense order stating that the U.S. government’s policy going forward is that there are only two sexes – male and female – is laudable from a natural and Catholic perspective. But the political and legal reality is that these orders only indicate the direction the president wants to see things move. That is because an executive order cannot rescind a law passed by Congress, or a regulation like Section 1557 that has gone through the proper procedural steps.
President Trump’s first term is instructive in understanding what the road ahead might look like. In 2020, President Trump and his Health and Human Services appointees worked hard to craft religious exemptions for the regulations implementing the Affordable Care Act, but as soon as they were issued, they were tied up in federal court and enjoined. They have still not seen the light of day, and even worse, they were replaced by former President Biden in 2024 with an additional requirement for transgender services.
During the first Trump administration, CBA hoped there would be a break in legal pressure from the government, which did not materialize. Instead, we continued to see resistance in the legal arena from career civil servants motivated by ideology.
We strongly hope that this Trump administration succeeds in moving beyond aspirations and making lasting course corrections that support faith-based organizations’ active participation in our society. But it seems wise to move through the next four years by doing our absolute best to ensure that our Catholic identity is clearly expressed and supported in every aspect of our organizations. You might call it “getting your Catholic ducks in a row,” or putting your house in order so that it is as protected and strong as possible, freeing you to engage in ministry.
As always, please let us know if you have questions about issues you are encountering in your health plan, human resources or professional development spaces. We are happy to help support you. For the latest resources, including our 2025 HR checklist, please visit the Members Only Room.