House pushed to pass conscience protections

Excerpted from “Catholic Bishops to GOP House: Repeal Obamacare Reg in CR or Other ‘Must-Pass’ Bill,” CNS News, March 19, 2013 -- The Catholic bishops of the United States are asking the Republican-controlled House of Representatives to do something concrete and effective--rather than merely symbolic—to repeal a regulation the administration has issued under Obamacare that will force Catholics and other Christians to act against their faith in purchasing or providing healthcare plans that cover sterilizations, contraceptives and abortion-inducing drugs.

Last June, the bishops unanimously declared this regulation an “unjust and illegal mandate.” Since then, dozens of Catholic and Protestant private business owners, schools and non-profit organizations have sued the administration seeking to fully or partially overturn the regulation, arguing it violates their First Amendment right to free exercise of religion.

The regulation, however, is beginning to take effect now, and pending lawsuits could take years to reach the Supreme Court--where it is uncertain how they would be decided. Given the gravity and immediacy of the issue, the bishops are asking Congress to act now by incorporating language repealing the regulation into “must-pass” legislation.

H.R. 940 would permanently negate Obamacare’s sterilization-contraception-abortifacient regulation. It would do this by ensuring that no individual worker, private for-profit business, hospital, school, charity or other form of non-profit enterprise could be forced to buy or provide a healthcare plan that included coverage for abortion or any other item or service to which the individual or organization had a moral or religious objection. It would also protect health-care workers from being discriminated against if they decline to participate in abortions or abortion-related services.

Commentary

CMA Vice President for Govt. Relations Jonathan Imbody: “We’ve been working hand-in-hand with the bishops and many other groups—over 50 are included in our Freedom2Care coalition—on conscience issues for well over a decade. The conscience laws passed in prior years unfortunately do not apply to or provide protections for healthcare professionals under the new Obamacare law. Nor do existing federal laws give health care professionals who have experienced discrimination the option to fight for justice in the courts.

"Currently the only recourse for healthcare professionals provided for in the federal conscience regulation, which the administration eviscerated in 2011, is to file a complaint with the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services—the very agency that Congress recently took to task for committing discrimination! HHS disqualified pro-life service providers from human trafficking grants simply because they declined to participate in abortions.

"After the last election, some politicians normally supportive of pro-life bills unfortunately now feel a bit gun-shy, worrying that social issues distract from their economic message. The only sure way to shore up their commitment is to show the determination of their constituents—particularly influential constituents like healthcare professionals—in demanding conscience protections as an American right and as a requirement for the practice of ethical medicine.

"For the sake of your own career and the rights of many others including your patients, please take a moment right now to make your voice heard."

Action
Use this easy pre-written, customizable form our Freedom2Care legislative action center to let your Representative know today you want conscience protections in healthcare.

Submit your own comment to the administration on the contraceptives mandate, using our pre-written, customizable text.
Resources

Read CMA's official comment to the administration on the contraceptives mandate
CMDA Right of Conscience Resource Page