Support Protect Life Act; End Funding for Abortion Coverage

On Thursday, October 12, the House takes up H.R. 358, the Protect Life Act, which has finally been scheduled for debate and a vote after having been reported out of committee last February. This is an amendment to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act better known as ObamaCare. The measure, with 6 Democrats and 139 Republicans as cosponsors, will “modify special rules relating to coverage of abortion services.”

The proposal prohibits federal funds from being used to cover any part of the cost of any health plan that includes coverage of elective abortion services, upholding the Hyde Amendment. It would prohibit discrimination against institutions or individual entities based on the entity’s refusal to train or perform induced abortions, etc., meaning it restores the conscience clause that was destroyed in the original ObamaCare legislation that became law.

One thing must be made clear, regardless of the pro-abortion crowd’s incorrect rhetoric, it will in no way leave women in need of medical attention to die in emergency rooms for lack of treatment. Health care facilities and providers must and will treat patients. If a pregnant woman enters an emergency room, both mother and baby will be treated separately and equally. The bill allows the usual exemptions in cases of rape or incest, or when the mother’s life is in danger.

While the bill’s preservation of conscience protection and the withholding of federal funds for abortion services are excellent, H.R. 358 also establishes a process for investigating complaints about violations of the requirements, a pro-life trifecta, as it were. A bonus in budgetary crisis times is the fact that the Congressional Budget Office estimates that monetary effects “would be negligible for each year.” And, H.R. 358 contains no mandates, so it would impose zero costs on states or smaller local governments or hospitals.

To keep the pendulum swinging in favor of respect for life, especially for the preborn, and to prevent the federal government from funding or promoting abortions with taxpayer money, contact your representatives and senators immediately. Please urge them to pass the proposal immediately as it is written and to resist any attempts to weaken or water down the amendment. And emphasize that in a free society under the Constitution one's liberty of conscience should be protected and upheld, not attacked and destroyed. No individuals or entities should be forced to act against personal convictions or principles, be they religious or moral.

“Conscience is the most sacred of all property....To guard a man’s house as his castle, to pay public and enforce private debts with the most exact faith, can give no title to invade a man’s conscience which is more sacred than his castle,” said James Madison.

A pre-written but editible message to your senators and representatives can be found here.

Thanks,

Your friends at The John Birch Society