Tell Congress to Protect Right of Conscience on Sanctity of Life

By Richard Land - Dec 9, 2011 -

Dear Friends:

Congress is finalizing a major government funding package for the coming year. While a draft version includes the much-needed Abortion Non-Discrimination Act (H.R. 361) to protect against a growing attack on the conscience rights of those who oppose abortion, many lawmakers are trying to strip this important conscience provision. I need your help to make sure that doesn’t happen.

If this is a concern to you, please contact your representative and senators today and urge them to include the Abortion Non-Discrimination Act in the FY2012 appropriations package.

Each year since 2005, Congress has renewed a provision known as the Hyde-Weldon Amendment to bar the government from discriminating against health care entities that refuse to “provide, pay for, provide coverage of, or refer for abortion.”

Unfortunately, it’s not a permanent law. And the list of cases of discrimination against entities and individuals who refuse to perform or remain complicit in abortion services is growing by the day. One such example is a proposed mandate by the Department of Health and Human Services that all private health insurance plans offer FDA-approved contraceptives—including abortifacients. Making a bad proposal worse, the very weak religious exemption would not exempt countless pro-life institutions.

Click here for more information on conscience rights violations.

The Abortion Non-Discrimination Act would largely address this growing problem. Not only would it write the Hyde-Weldon conscience clause into permanent law, but it would also provide additional protections by enabling victims of conscience violations to challenge those violations in court.

We must not let this opportunity pass. If you support protecting conscience rights, please contact your representative and senators immediately and urge them to include the Abortion Non-Discrimination Act in the FY2012 appropriations bill. You can reach them by dialing the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 or by sending an e-mail here.
Thank you for your commitment to life and the right of conscience to protect it at all stages.

In His Service,

Dr. Richard Land

President

The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission

Southern Baptist Convention

Further Learning

Learn more about: Life, Abortion, Birth Control, Citizenship, Legislation, National, Social Issues,