The Point Blog ARCHIVE
All articles found in the archive are more than three years old.
The purpose of this blog is to stimulate thought and discussion about important issues in healthcare. Opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily express the views of CMDA. We encourage you to join the conversation on our website and share your experience, insight and expertise. CMDA has a rigorous and representative process in formulating official positions, which are largely limited to bioethical areas.
Federal Policy Top Priorities in 2017
January 4, 2017
by Christian Medical & Dental Associations®
The Washington Office of CMDA (which hosts Freedom2Care) focuses on the fundamental issues of the right to life and freedom of faith, conscience and speech, which serve as the foundation for all other rights and freedoms. Following are some of the top priorities for the new year:
Freedom of faith and conscience
- Protect conscience rights in healthcare by restoring the conscience protection regulation for healthcare professionals and institutions, along with its educational outreach program.
- Prevent government coercion related to abortion by passing conscience-protecting legislation (e.g., Conscience Protection Act – S 2927, H.R.4828; Healthcare Conscience Rights Act – S 1919; Abortion Non-Discrimination Act – S 50).
- Overturn “transgender mandate” regulation, which disallows medical judgment and redefines Congress’ biological definition of sex to include LGBT issues, by winning our lawsuit vs. US Dept. of HHS.
- Sweep away radical federal regulations by empowering Congress (e.g., through the Midnight Rules Relief Act – S.3483, HR 5982) to disapprove of federal agency regulations that fall within 60 legislative days of a president’s final term.
Right to life
- Ban abortions of developing babies at the stage in which they can feel pain (e.g., Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act – S.1670; HR 36-passed).
- Redirect tax dollars from abortion businesses like Planned Parenthood to federally qualified health centers (e.g., Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act – S 51, HR 217).
- Save lives of babies born in an abortion (e.g., Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act – S2066; HR 3504 passed).
Personnel
Promote and support pro-life, pro-religious freedom individuals for key positions including:
- Supreme Court: new justices
- Health and Human Services: Secretary, Deputy Secretary, Assistant Secretary for Health, Surgeon General, Assistant Secretary For Children And Families, Commissioner of Food and Drugs, Director of National Institutes of Health, Director of faith-based office, Office of Civil Rights, Office of Global Health Affairs
- White House – Domestic Policy Advisor, director of faith-based office
- Department of State – AIDS Ambassador (PEPFAR), Office of International Religious Freedom, Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, faith-based office, Office of Religion and Global Affairs
- US Agency for International Development – Administrator, Asst. Admin. – Bureau of Global Health, faith-based office
