President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order on religious liberties designed to ease a ban on political activity by churches and other tax-exempt institutions.
Trump's executive order also mandates regulatory relief to religious employers that object to contraception, such as Little Sisters of the Poor.
It does not include provisions to allow government agencies and businesses to deny services to gay people in the name of religious freedom, as was feared by some civil liberties and gay rights groups. (Reporting by Ayesha Rascoe; Writing by Tim Ahmann; Editing by Susan Heavey)