On February 10, the Obama Administration announced some adjustments to the HHS mandate in an attempt to assuage the valid concerns raised by hundreds of thousands of Americans in the past weeks. These do not change the mandate nor do they address the valid concerns about religious liberty. This is no compromise since there is no difference in the effect of the new ruling: Catholics and others who object to these life threatening drugs and procedures are still forced to facilitate their availability.Catholic Bishops throughout the United States continue to object strenuously to this immoral and indefensible regulation. We have been joined by many members of other faith communities and civil liberties groups in our efforts to defend our “First Freedom”. Our faith cannot be defined or compromised by a government edict.The only complete solution to this religious liberty problem is for HHS to rescind the mandate of these objectionable services. All are called upon to exercise your responsibility of citizenship and let your member of Congress know you support legislation that will correct this error and restore our religious liberty and right of conscience. Please urge passage of the Respect for Rights of Conscience Act currently before Congress ( HR 1179 and S 1467).
Take Action
Never before has federal law forced citizens to purchase what violates their deeply held beliefs and ethical convictions. But now the Administration is forcing us to act as if pregnancy were a disease to be prevented at all costs. For many Americans that means choosing between violating our consciences and forgoing health care — literally an unconscionable dilemma.Our country’s longstanding laws protecting conscience rights must now apply fully to the implementation of health care reform. For that we need more than rule-making, we need a law. The bishops are urging Congress to support the “Respect for Rights of Conscience Act” in light of the new HHS rule and the “unprecedented threat to religious freedom” it poses. Please CLICK HERE to join your voice with theirs and with the many organizations — Catholic and non-Catholic — who are fighting for religious liberty and conscience rights.
- U.S. Capitol 1 (202) 224-3121 Use this number to call and or find out who your member of Congress is. An operator will answer,if you give them your zip code they will tell you who your Representative is and connect you to their office.
