Religious Liberty Commission Hears Testimony From Healthcare Workers

by Zachary Mettler | March 16, 2026 | Government Updates Religious Freedom

President Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission held its sixth hearing at the Museum of the Bible on Monday to discuss religious liberty in health care and social services.

President Trump established the Religious Liberty Commission via executive order on May 1, 2025, tasking the 14-member commission with creating a comprehensive report:

  • Exploring the foundations of religious liberty in America.
  • Considering the impact of religious liberty on American society.
  • Identifying current threats to domestic religious liberty.
  • Developing strategies to preserve and enhance religious liberty protections for future generations.
  • Recommending programs to increase awareness of and celebrate America’s peaceful religious pluralism.

Trump appointed Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick to chair the commission alongside Vice Chair Dr. Ben Carson. Other commission members include:

  • Ryan T. Anderson
  • Bishop Robert Barron
  • Cardinal Timothy Dolan
  • Pastor Franklin Graham
  • Allyson Ho
  • Dr. Phil McGraw
  • Eric Metaxas
  • Kelly Shackelford
  • Rabbi Meir Soloveichik
  • Paula White

Since its establishment, the Religious Liberty Commission has held regular meetings to hear from experts on religious freedom and witnesses whose religious liberty has been violated.

On March 16, the commission heard testimony from Kaley Chiles, a licensed professional counselor in Colorado, who spoke about Colorado’s law that unconstitutionally censors the speech of licensed counselors.

“Counseling is about uncovering the roots, the fears, the wounds, the questions underneath the surface, so real healing can happen,” Chiles shared. “In 2022 … I discovered Colorado had passed a law dictating which counseling conversations my clients and I are allowed to have.”

Colorado’s HB19-1129, the “Prohibit Conversion Therapy for a Minor Act,” prohibits licensed mental health professionals from offering therapy to help those struggling with unwanted same-sex attraction or sexual identity confusion.

Chiles, with the help of Alliance Defending Freedom, sued to prevent enforcement of the state’s law. The U.S. Supreme Court took up Chiles’ case and heard oral arguments in October. A ruling is expected by June 2026.

You can watch Chiles’ testimony below:

Alliance Defending Freedom President and CEO Kristen Waggoner, who attended the meeting with Chiles and serves on the commission’s Advisory Board of Legal Experts, posted about the hearing on X:

The commission also heard testimony from Valerie Kloosterman, a First Liberty client, who was fired by the University of Michigan Health System for her religious beliefs.

Kloosterman worked as a physician assistant for 17 years and had “exemplary performance reviews” and a “stellar” reputation with patients.

Nevertheless, Michigan Health fired Kloosterman after she asked for a religious accommodation from affirming statements that violated her Christian faith and medical judgement. A Michigan Health diversity representative called her “evil” and blamed her for gender dysphoria-related suicides, telling her she could not take the Bible or her religious beliefs to work.

Kloosterman filed a lawsuit against Michigan Health with First Liberty’s help. Her case remains ongoing.

Kloosterman told the commission, “I’m praying that God would use my case to protect religious liberty for my children and for the next generation so they can freely live out their faith in the workplace.”

“It’s bad medicine to force religious healthcare professionals like Valerie to choose between their faith and their job,” said First Liberty President, CEO and Chief Legal Counsel Kelly Shackelford in a statement, adding,

It is disgraceful and unlawful to ask any person to violate their conscience rights and religious beliefs that are protected by the Constitution.

Americans’ First Amendment right to religious freedom has come under assault in recent years, especially since the Supreme Court concocted a constitutional right to “same-sex marriage” in its 2015 Obergefell decision.

Thankfully, the Religious Liberty Commission is serving an important role in restoring Americans’ constitutional rights by examining the myriad threats to religious freedom.

The commission will hold its capstone hearing to discuss the past, present and future of religious liberty in America on April 13 at the Museum of the Bible. A livestream will be available.

Related articles and resources:

Religious Freedom and Free Speech

Religious Liberty Commission Launches, Aims to Root Out Anti-Christian Bias

Photo from First Liberty.