We ask you, humbly: don't scroll away.
Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. We're not salespeople, but we depend on donations averaging $14.76 and fewer than 1% of readers give. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. Thank you.Help Now >
President Begins Overturning "Conscience Rule" for Pro-life Doctors
FREE Catholic Classes
President Obama used the attention given to his new budget to quietly undermine protection for pro-life medical professionals.
Highlights
Catholic Online (https://www.catholic.org)
2/27/2009 (1 decade ago)
Published in Politics & Policy
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Catholic Online) - President Obama quietly begun the process of overturning regulations that protect doctors and hospitals from being forced to perform or refer abortions. The Chicago Tribune reports that President Obama is directing the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to begin overturning the conscience rule that protects medical providers who are pro-life.
This pullback comes only months after the Bush administration strengthened the rule by placing penalties on facilities that subject pro-life doctors, nurses, or other medical workers to discrimination over the issue of abortion.
As with his rescinding of the Mexico City policy a few weeks ago, this move by the President occurred with no fanfare. Instead, the initiative took place at the same time the budget was announced, which drew all the attention.
The administration is calling for a 30 day public comment period. "We believe that this is a complex issue that requires a thoughtful process where all voices can be heard," said one official, who was not authorized to speak on the record, told the Chicago Tribune.
Care Net President Melinda Delahoyde responded to the news by saying, "Our nation's physicians, nurses, and other healthcare providers have the right to practice medicine without violating their conscience."
To remove these protections is to ultimately remove these individuals of integrity from the field of medicine entirely," Delahoyde said. "That's not an action that we as Americans should be willing to accept."
Care Net, which operates 470 Pro-life Pregnancy Centers and has over 1,100 affiliates nationwide, has also filed as an intervener in a lawsuit filed by state attorney generals and Planned Parenthood that challenges the federal regulations protecting the right of conscience.
Currently pro-abortion groups in seven states have filed suit to topple the conscience rule. Today's action illustrates that the President himself is intending to overturn it.
When the rule was strengthened last year, HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt stated that there was a need to address the issue of discrimination in the healthcare industry regarding abortion.
In referring to the need for a stronger conscience rule, he criticized "an environment in the health-care field that is intolerant of individual conscience, certain religious beliefs, ethnic and cultural traditions and moral convictions."
The White House indicated that the move by the President was for the purpose of making the rule clearer. The intention is to craft a new rule that will clarify what medical professionals can reasonably refuse their patients.
We ask you, humbly: don't scroll away.
Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. We're not salespeople, but we depend on donations averaging $14.76 and fewer than 1% of readers give. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. Thank you.Help Now >
Catholic Online will continue to monitor the situation as well as update where and how individuals and groups may participate during the period of public comment.
----
Randy Sly is the Associate Editor and Home and Family Editor of Catholic Online.
---
'Help Give every Student and Teacher FREE resources for a world-class Moral Catholic Education'
Copyright 2021 - Distributed by Catholic Online
Join the Movement
When you sign up below, you don't just join an email list - you're joining an entire movement for Free world class Catholic education.
-
Mysteries of the Rosary
-
St. Faustina Kowalska
-
Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
-
Saint of the Day for Wednesday, Oct 4th, 2023
-
Popular Saints
-
St. Francis of Assisi
-
Bible
-
Female / Women Saints
-
7 Morning Prayers you need to get your day started with God
-
Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
U.S. Catholic Parishes Experience Resurgence of Traditional Practices
-
Pope Francis Urges Faith and Prayers for Peace
-
Florida Welcomes Volunteer Chaplains to Public Schools
-
10 Fascinating Details About St. Joseph the Worker: Celebrating His Feast Day - May 1
-
St. Joseph the Worker: Model for Men, Young and Old
Daily Catholic
- Daily Readings for Thursday, May 02, 2024
- St. Athanasius: Saint of the Day for Thursday, May 02, 2024
- The Our Father: Prayer of the Day for Thursday, May 02, 2024
- Daily Readings for Wednesday, May 01, 2024
- St. Marculf: Saint of the Day for Wednesday, May 01, 2024
- To Saint Peregrine: Prayer of the Day for Wednesday, May 01, 2024
We ask you, humbly: don't scroll away.
Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. We're not salespeople, but we depend on donations averaging $14.76 and fewer than 1% of readers give. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. Thank you.Help Now >
Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. All materials contained on this site, whether written, audible or visual are the exclusive property of Catholic Online and are protected under U.S. and International copyright laws, © Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. Any unauthorized use, without prior written consent of Catholic Online is strictly forbidden and prohibited.
Catholic Online is a Project of Your Catholic Voice Foundation, a Not-for-Profit Corporation. Your Catholic Voice Foundation has been granted a recognition of tax exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Federal Tax Identification Number: 81-0596847. Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law.