Commentary by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS

By a vote of 245 to 182, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Conscience Protection Act of 2016 which will prevent the government from punishing pro-life healthcare providers who refuse to provide abortion services.

Breitbart is reporting on the passage of the bill which was mostly along party lines. During a speech on the House floor, Representative Diane Black (R-TN), a co-sponsor of the bill, decried the “government-mandated abortion coercion” that is occurring throughout California after the state’s Department of Managed Health Care required all insurance plans, including those provided by religious-affiliated employers, to offer coverage for abortion on demand.

“Today, I’m simply asking the members of this body to allow the millions of Americans who believe, as I do, in the sanctity of every life, to abide by those beliefs without having them trampled upon by their own government,” Rep. Black said.

Passage of the law brought quick reaction from pro-life leaders around the country, including the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops who commended House Speaker Paul Ryan for bringing the Conscience Protection Act to a vote.

“Even those who disagree on the life issue should be able to respect the conscience rights of those who wish not to be involved in supporting abortion,” said Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan and Archbishop William E. Lori – chairmen of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities and Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty, respectively.

“The vast majority of medical personnel – and 85% of OB-GYNs, specifically – do not want to be involved in abortion. Whether their reasons are religious or non-religious, their conscientious objection to abortion is worthy of the highest respect and protection,” they said.

The general public is also against the coercion of faith-based medical providers to engage in services that violate their beliefs. A new survey conducted by the Knights of Columbus-Marist Institute for Public Opinion Poll found that 56 percent of Americans believe healthcare professionals and organizations should be allowed to opt out of performing and covering abortion procedures. Only 37 percent said they do not support these protections.

Public opinion doesn’t appear to matter to the Obama Administration and its pro-abortion allies. The White House issued a statement promising a swift veto of the bill should it pass the Senate, citing the usual talking points about “limiting women’s health care options”.

“The Administration strongly opposes the House Amendment to S. 304, the Conscience Protection Act of 2016, because it would have the consequence of limiting women’s health care choices and because the Administration believes that protections in current Federal law already provide appropriate protection for the rights of conscience.”

Planned Parenthood quickly sent out a tweet labeling the majority of Americans as “extremists” for supporting these protetcions.

“Extremists are pushing the Conscience Protection Act that allows bosses & health plans to deny care they object to.#NotMyConscience,” the tweet read.

Rep. Chris Smith, chairman of the Bipartisan Congressional Pro-Life Caucus, condemned the president’s decision to veto the legislation if it passed Congress, saying it “is not only unfair and unjustified – it grossly violates the rule of law.”

“In an unconscionable abuse of power, for almost two years the state of California has forced all insurance plans under its purview—and the people and institutions that pay the premiums—to subsidize abortion on demand,” Smith asserted. “The Weldon federal conscience law authored by Congressman Dave Weldon of Florida and continuously in effect for over a decade—makes it explicit and comprehensively clear that California’s action is illegal.”

According to Smith, the Conscience Protection Act would ultimately remove enforcement of conscience protection from the HHS Office of Civil Rights.

Representatives from The Catholic Association (TCA) agreed.

“Men and women who have dedicated themselves to preserving life and promoting health should not be discriminated against when they refuse to perform, pay for, or facilitate an abortion,” TCA advisory board member Dr. Grazie Pozo Christie said in a statement. “It is too glaringly obvious to scientifically trained minds and hearts dedicated to healing our fellow man that an abortion is a lethal assault on a small and defenseless human being.”

TCA senior policy advisor Maureen Ferguson added: “It is outrageous that the state of California has been illegally forcing churches, religious charities, and schools to pay for abortion in their healthcare plans, while the Obama Administration has looked the other way for two years.”

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins also applauded the bill’s passage. “Since the federal Department of Health and Human Services has dragged its feet and is now ignoring the federal law, known as the Weldon Amendment, this legislation is necessary to enable victims of government discrimination over their pro-life views, including churches, doctors, and nurses, to pursue legal action against the state for violating their consciences. The Conscience Protection Act is about basic fairness for everyone.”

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