The Conscience Protection Act Safeguards Basic Liberties

Here's your easy, possibly even effective civil reponsiblity for the day: Ask your reps to pass HR 4828, the Conscience Protection Act. This bill

amends the Public Health Service Act to codify the prohibition against the federal government and state and local governments that receive federal financial assistance for health-related activities penalizing or discriminating against a health care provider based on the provider's refusal to be involved in, or provide coverage for, abortion. Health care providers include health care professionals, health care facilities, social services providers, health care professional training programs, and health insurers.

In other words, it would tell the government, "Sorry, you're not allowed to punish healthcare providors for refusing to violate their consciences."  The premise is fairly simple: it's the idea that people with consciences have civil rights. It's the idea that religious liberty means more than the freedom to go to church, and that we have the right to exercise our religions in our daily lives. It means that the government gets its power from the people, and it's an abuse of that power to force citizens to give up their rights in order to serve each other.

We've decided, as a nation, that a woman who wants an abortion should be able to get an abortion. We've decided that she has the right to do whatever her conscience allows, and that her freedom to choose or not choose abortion is a choice that should be protected. This bill simply confirms that healthcare providors have consciences, too, and that their choice to participate or not participate in abortions is a choice that should be protected.

Think it's just political posturing? Not so. In California, all employers, including churches, are now required to offer insurance the covers elective abortion. Nurses have been fired for refusing to assist in abortions. This bill would give citizens and businesses the ability to file a civil suit if they are being disciminated against for exercising their right to follow their consciences

The House is voting on this bill today, very soon. To urge your representatives to pass HR 4828, you can use this easy form from the Human Life Action League. Click on "take action" to get a pre-written letter addressed to your reps; and you can write your own text, or add onto what HLA suggests. Please be courteous, brief, and clear. We have a clear right and duty to ask our reps to defend our basic liberties. Take a moment and do it now! It's fast and easy, and may even help.