Victims of abortion discrimination

Richard A. Sokerka

The adoption of new regulations that ensure existing laws protecting conscience rights in healthcare are enforced and followed by the Department of Health and Human Ser­vices is good news not only for religious freedom in America but also for the pro-life cause.

In a joint statement from Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities and Archbishop Joseph Kurtz of Louisville, chairman of the bishops’ Committee for Religious Liberty, wrote: “Though these laws were passed on a bipartisan basis and have been policy for years, the prior administration did not fully enforce them, and now they are increasingly being violated. Health care providers like New York nurse Cathy DeCarlo and medical trainees have been coerced into participating in the brutal act of abortion against their core beliefs, while churches and others who oppose abortion are being compelled by states like California to cover elective abortion — including late-term abortion — in their health plans. We are grateful that the current administration is taking seriously its duty to enforce these fundamental civil rights laws and we look forward to swift action by HHS to remedy current violations in several states.”

In their statement, the bishops made the point that: “It is essential that Congress provide permanent legislative relief through passage of the Conscience Protection Act in order to give victims of discrimination the ability to defend their rights in court. No one should be forced to violate their deeply held convictions about the sanctity of human life.”

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), chairman of the Bipartisan Congressional Pro-Life Caucus and cosponsor of HR 2014, the Conscience Protection Act of 2019, said the action by the Trump Administration “significantly improves enforcement of 25 existing laws protecting conscience in the provision of healthcare through HHS-funded programs. The Office for Civil Rights is now better empowered to protect individuals from having their moral convictions about the sanctity of human life violated.”

He cited the case of Nurse Fe Vinoya, who was informed by the Same Day Surgery Unit in University Hospital in Newark, where she worked, that the rules had been changed and all nurses in her unit were required to assist with abortions. Fe and her pro-life coworkers were told that, if they failed to comply, they would lose their jobs.

“Under President Barack Obama,” Smith said, “the Office of Civil Rights absolutely refused to enforce the law — that was unethical and unfair. Courageous providers, like Fe, had no recourse against this unjust discrimination. Congress must establish a private right of action so that victims of abortion discrimination can assert their rights and resist coercion.”

As Smith stated, “Health care should be about saving life, not taking life. Health care providers should never be forced or coerced into participating in abortion. Individuals should not be driven out of the health care field for their pro-life beliefs and commitment to the Hippocratic Oath.”

That’s exactly why the Conscience Protec­tion Act needs to become law.