US
Bishops Issue Action Alert on Health Care Reform Bill in Senate
UPDATED December 7, 2009
The U.S. Conference of Catholic
Bishops has released the following legislative alert requiring immediate action.
Please forward to your Catholic contacts in
Senators Ben Nelson (D-NE), Orrin Hatch (R-UT), and
Bob Casey (D-PA) have submitted an amendment that like the Stupak amendment that was
included in the final House bill, prevents this legislation from mandating abortion
coverage or providing federal funds for coverage that includes elective abortions. Those
wishing to purchase abortion coverage may continue to do so with their own private funds,
but not in the government-run health care plan (“community health insurance
option”) or with the help of federal subsidies.
Senate: On November 18, Senate leadership unveiled its
health care reform bill, The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. This bill has
been brought to the floor by inserting its text into H.R. 3590, an unrelated House-passed
tax measure. Debate and votes have begun and may continue until the Christmas recess.
In a November 20 letter to the U.S. Senate, the U.S.
bishops urged essential changes in the Senate bill: to retain federal policy on abortion
funding and conscience protection; to protect access to health care for immigrants; and to
provide for adequate affordability and coverage standards. The bishops said: “Sadly,
the legislative proposal recently unveiled in the Senate does not meet these moral
criteria.” The bishops specifically said that if the bill’s serious defects on
abortion are not corrected, “the current legislation should be opposed.”
ACTION: Contact Massachusetts Senator John Kerry and Massachusetts
Senator Paul Kirk ASAP through e-mails or phone calls or FAX letters.
MESSAGE—SENATE: “Please support the Hatch-Nelson Amendment
to uphold longstanding policies against abortion funding, and please protect conscience
rights in health care reform.”
WHEN: Senate floor debate on the amendment may begin
the week of December 7.
HOW TO REACH SENATORS KERRY AND
KIRK:
1) Send an e-mail
by clicking on this link => http://www.usccb.org/action, complete the letter form (there is
text already there to include) and make sure to fill in your home address in the address
form at the bottom of the page, so that the email messages will automatically and
simultaneously be forwarded to Senators Kerry and Kirk;
OR
2) Call their
OR
3) Call their local offices at:
Senator Kerry:
Senator Kirk:
OR
4)
Fax them at:
Senator Kerry: 1-202-224-8525
Senator Kirk: 1-202-224-2417
(v) 617-367-6060
(f) 617-367-2767
(e) staff@macathconf.org
(w) http://www.macathconf.org