The Trump administration announced an expanded “conscience rule” that protects health care employers and workers who oppose abortion, sterilization, assisted suicide and other medical procedures on religious or moral grounds.

“Every citizen has the absolute right to live according to the teaching of their faith and the convictions of their heart,” President Trump said during a ceremony celebrating the National Day of Prayer in the White House Rose Garden. 

“This rule ensures that healthcare entities and professionals won’t be bullied out of the health care field because they decline to participate in actions that violate their conscience, including the taking of human life,” said Roger Severino, director of the HHS Office of Civil Rights.