Health Care Conscience Rights Act
Letter to Congress regarding HR 940, urgent need for the "Abortion Non-Discrimination" provisions of HR 940 insuring that government agencies receiving federal health funds cannot force those involved in the provision of heath care to be complicit in the taking of human life, or discriminate against them because of their convictions.
May 18, 2015
Dear Member of Congress: As organizations representing medical professionals and others involved in the provision of health care, we are writing to urge the swift passage of the Health Care Conscience Rights Act (HR 940). This critically important bill will help maintain a robust and diverse health care system in our nation, by ensuring that individuals and organizations involved in health care can continue to serve the public without violating their moral and religious convictions. Current federal conscience laws offer vitally important protection. Yet because of deficiencies or loopholes in existing laws, at times our rights are protected more in theory than in practice. For example, current laws do not recognize a right of victims of discrimination to go to com1 to defend their own rights of conscience. HR 940 would address this problem, defining a “private right of action” for those whose civil rights are being violated.