In a stunning rebuke to the Biden administration’s aggressive pro-abortion policies, a federal judge in North Dakota has delivered a sweeping victory for religious freedom—blocking a rule that would have forced thousands of Catholic-owned businesses to violate their deeply held beliefs.
Judge Daniel Traynor, appointed by President Donald Trump, permanently struck down the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) controversial interpretation of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), which attempted to mandate employer accommodations for abortions, fertility treatments, and even gender ideology practices like preferred pronouns and single-sex space elimination.
Biden’s EEOC Rule: A Trojan Horse for Radical Policies
The EEOC’s regulation, issued in 2023, was widely condemned by religious liberty advocates as a covert assault on conscience rights. Under the guise of supporting pregnant workers, the administration dramatically expanded the PWFA’s language—intended to protect expectant mothers in the workplace—to encompass a sweeping list of reproductive and gender-related “medical conditions.”
The rule sought to force employers to accommodate not just childbirth, but abortion, infertility treatments, menstruation, the use of birth control, and “choosing not to have an abortion”—among many other provisions. For many religious institutions, especially Catholic employers, the regulation crossed a red line.
The Legal Victory: A Knockout Blow in Defense of Faith
Judge Traynor had previously issued a preliminary injunction blocking the EEOC’s rule. Now, he’s made that decision permanent. In his ruling, he wrote forcefully in favor of religious protections:
“The law forces members to choose between expressing sincerely held beliefs and compliance. This harm is irreparable, and upholding constitutional rights always weighs in favor of the public interest.”
The ruling permanently exempts the Catholic Benefits Association (CBA)—a group representing over 9,000 Catholic organizations nationwide—from complying with the mandate.
Catholic Benefits Association: “A Huge Win”
The CBA praised the court’s decision in a statement, calling it “a huge win” for religious freedom. CEO Doug Wilson emphasized the broader implications of the ruling:
“This victory vindicates the rights of our over 9,000 members to pursue their ministries in service to others, according to our faith.”
He added that the CBA has now defeated the federal government in court five times:
“The fact that we have had to sue the government five times and won every single time clearly illustrates both the strength of our legal strategy and the misguided ideological nature of the efforts to undermine our faith-driven ministries.”
A Rejection of Ideological Tyranny
The Catholic Diocese of Bismarck and others involved in the suit had argued that the Biden-era EEOC rule directly violated the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA)—a cornerstone law protecting religious expression from federal overreach. Judge Traynor agreed, reaffirming that faith-based institutions have the constitutional right to operate according to their beliefs, not the latest political whims from Washington.
The court also implicitly rejected the EEOC’s effort to use federal employment law as a battering ram to push abortion and gender ideology onto religious institutions—signaling a clear limit to how far the government can go in coercing faith-based entities.
What’s Next for Religious Liberty in America?
This ruling marks a pivotal legal and cultural moment in the ongoing clash between religious freedom and radical secular mandates. While the Biden administration continues to push progressive interpretations of federal law, this case serves as a reminder: the Constitution—and the courts—still stand as a bulwark against coercion.
Religious Americans can breathe a sigh of relief—for now. But as CBA’s Doug Wilson made clear, vigilance is still needed:
“This ruling lets us continue to serve without the threat of the EEOC persecuting us for following our faith.”
