In December 2008, Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a regulation adopting new rules protecting the freedom of conscience of American healthcare providers. The new rules under the regulation require that recipients of federal funds comply with existing laws that protect healthcare providers from participating in practices they find morally objectable such as abortion and embryonic stem-cell research. The rule will take effect on January 20, 2009, the day before President Bush is set to leave office. President-elect Obama criticized the rule when it was proposed and pro-abortion politicians have introduced bills in the House (H.R. 7310) and in the Senate (S. 20) that would invalidate the HHS regulation. They are also encouraging the incoming HHS Secretary to reverse this ruling.