United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
3211
FOURTH STREET NE WASHINGTON DC 20017-1194 202-541-3100 FAX 202-541-3166
USCCB
NATIONWIDE BULLETIN INSERT
Tell
Congress: Remove Abortion Funding & Mandates from Needed Health Care Reform
Congress is preparing
to debate health care reform legislation on the House and Senate floors.
Genuine health care
reform should protect the life and dignity of all people from the moment of
conception until
natural death. The U.S. bishops' conference has concluded that all
committeeapproved
bills are seriously
deficient on the issues of abortion and conscience, and do not provide
adequate access to
health care for immigrants and the poor. The bills will have to change or the
bishops have pledged
to oppose them.
Our nation is at a
crossroads. Policies adopted in health care reform will have an impact for good
or
ill for years to
come. None of the bills retains longstanding current policies against abortion
funding
or abortion coverage
mandates, and none fully protects conscience rights in health care.
As the U.S. bishops'
letter of October 8 states:
"No one should be
required to pay for or participate in abortion. It is essential that the
legislation clearly
apply to this new program longstanding and widely supported federal
restrictions on
abortion funding and mandates, and protections for rights of conscience.
No current bill meets
this test... If acceptable language in these areas cannot be found,
we will have to
oppose the health care bill vigorously."
For the full text of
this letter and more information on proposed legislation and the bishops'
advocacy
for authentic health
care reform, visit: www.usccb.org/healthcare.
Congressional leaders
are attempting to put together final bills for floor consideration. Please
contact
your Representative
and Senators today and urge them to fix these bills with the pro-life
amendments
noted below.
Otherwise much needed health care reform will have to be opposed. Health care
reform
should be about
saving lives, not destroying them.
ACTION: Contact
Members through e-mail, phone calls or FAX letters.
- To send a
pre-written, instant e-mail to Congress go to www.usccb.org/action.
- Call the U.S. Capitol
switchboard at: 202-224-3121, or call your Members' local offices.
- Full contact info can be
found on Members' web sites at www.house.gov & www.senate.gov.
MESSAGE to SENATE:
"During floor debate
on the health care reform bill, please support an amendment to
incorporate
longstanding policies against abortion funding and in favor of conscience
rights.
If these serious
concerns are not addressed, the final bill should be opposed."
MESSAGE to HOUSE:
"Please support the
Stupak Amendment that addresses essential pro-life concerns on abortion
funding and
conscience rights in the health care reform bill. Help ensure that the Rule for
the
bill allows a vote on
this amendment. If these serious concerns are not addressed, the final bill
should be opposed."
WHEN: Both House and Senate
are preparing for floor votes now. Act today! Thank you!
