The Battle for Life in Health Care Reform

An internecine battle broke out as the last week of July came to an end in Washington, D.C. It is a matter of life and death, truth or deception.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Catholic Online) - Someone is right and someone is wrong. There is no middle ground on this one. The truth must be revealed and shouted from the Housetops. In fact, it really is a matter of life and death. It will frame our action and response as Pro-Life people. It must be the determining factor as to whether faithful Catholics, other faithful Christians, Pro-Life people of faith and people of good will who recognize the truth concerning the personhood of our first neighbors in the womb can participate in any Health care Plan which funds the taking of innocent human life in the womb with tax payer dollars. If this Plan does indeed mandate such blood money, we have to prepare for massive resistance because we cannot participate. Abortion is not health care. Period.

An "internecine" battle broke out in a very public way as the last week of July came to an end in Washington, D.C. It pitted "catholics United" and "Family Research Council" against each other. If eager public officials, preparing to leave town during the Congressional recess, thought this Health Care struggle was over, they were absolutely wrong. They are headed into some very hot August nights as their Pro-Life constituents INSIST upon the answer to who is telling the truth.

Chris Korzen, the Executive Director of "Catholics United" lambasted an Ad currently being aired by the "Family Research Council's" Action arm. He accused the predominantly evangelical Pro-Life and Pro-Family group of "using abortion scare tactics to turn pro-life voters against health reform." He added that "If the Family Research Council was truly committed to human life it would focus its efforts on ensuring that the tens of millions of Americans who currently lack heath insurance can get the care they need. This attack ad is unhelpful, untruthful, and not at all pro-life."

Tom McClusky, a Catholic and the Senior Vice President for "FRC Action" would have none of it. He told the Catholic News Agency that "Catholics United" was either deceived or participating in deception on this critical issue, "On the issue of where in the health care legislation is abortion, Family Research Council Action agrees with Cardinal Justin Rigali, Chairman of the Pro-life Office of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops," He cited the letter dated July 29th, 2009, from Justin Cardinal Rigali which insisted that "much needed reform must not become a vehicle for promoting an 'abortion rights' agenda or reversing longstanding current policies against federal abortion mandates and funding."

We present that urgent letter for our readers, in its entirety:

"TO: Members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee

Dear Representative:

"As you consider the "America's Affordable Health Choices Act" (H.R. 3200), I urge you to consider the overall priorities and concerns presented by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in Bishop William Murphy's July 17 letter to all members of Congress (www.usccb.org/sdwp/national/2009-07-17-murphy-letter-congress.pdf). The bishops' conference views health care as a basic right belonging to all human beings, from conception to natural death. We therefore have long supported universal health care reform that respects human life and dignity, provides access for all with a special concern for immigrants and the poor, preserves pluralism with respect for rights of conscience, and restrains costs while sharing them equitably.

"In this particular letter I am writing specifically about our fundamental requirement that health care legislation respect human life and rights of conscience. Much-needed reform must not become a vehicle for promoting an "abortion rights" agenda or reversing longstanding current policies against federal abortion mandates and funding. In this sense we urge you to make this legislation "abortion neutral" by preserving longstanding federal policies that prevent government promotion of abortion and respect conscience rights.

"In this regard several features of H.R. 3200, as introduced on July 14, need to be addressed:

1. The legislation delegates to the Secretary of Health and Human Services the power to make abortion a basic or essential benefit in all health plans, or in the "public plan" created by the legislation. This would be a radical change: Federal law has long excluded most abortions from federal employees' health benefits plans and places no requirement on private plans, most of which also decline to cover elective abortions.

2. Because some federal funds are authorized and appropriated by this legislation without passing through the Labor/HHS appropriations bill, they are not covered by the Hyde amendment and other provisions that have prevented direct federal funding of abortion for over three decades. The legislation needs its own provision against abortion funding to ensure consistency with the policy in all other federal health programs.

3. Provisions such as those requiring timely access to all benefits covered by qualified health plans could be used by courts to override and invalidate state laws regulating abortion, such as laws to ensure women's safety and informed consent and to promote parental involvement when minors consider abortion. These laws are modest, widely supported, and constitutionally sound, but they could fall before a new federal mandate to maximize "access" to abortion. It should be made clear in the legislation that such laws will not be preempted.

4. Several federal laws have long protected the conscience rights of health care providers. These laws prevent governmental bodies from discriminating against individual and institutional health care providers that decline involvement in abortion, and respect the moral and religious convictions of health professionals on abortion and other procedures in programs funded under the Public Health Service Act and other federal laws (see
www.usccb.org/prolife/issues/abortion/crmay08.pdf). President Obama recently stated that he accepts these current laws and will do nothing to weaken them. Congress should make the same pledge, by ensuring that this legislation will maintain protection for conscience rights.

"As long-time supporters of genuine health care reform, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is working to ensure that needed health reform is not undermined by abandoning longstanding and widely supported policies against abortion funding and mandates and in favor of conscience protection.

"During committee consideration, Reps. Bart Stupak (D-MI) and Joseph Pitts (R-PA) plan to offer amendments to address these problems in H.R. 3200 as introduced. I strongly urge you to support their efforts. By your actions on these issues, you have the ability to help reform our health care system in a way that will truly serve the poor and needy and uphold the dignity of all.

Sincerely,

Cardinal Justin Rigali, Archbishop of Philadelphia, Chairman, USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities"

*****END****

So we have the courageous Pro-Life Cardinal writing to Congress insisting that " Much-needed reform must not become a vehicle for promoting an "abortion rights" agenda." Hmmm... I wonder, is he overreacting? Does he also participate in "using abortion scare tactics to turn pro-life voters against health reform" Mr. Korzen?

However, if Mr. McClusky is correct and this Plan does indeed promote the massive expansion of abortion on demand, anyone who says otherwise needs to be called to task and exposed.It also calls for a massive Catholic Action.

As we head into August, we urge all of our readers to absolutely insist on finding out the truth. If this legislation will direct tax dollars to the killing of innocent children in the womb, it must be amended or rejected. Then there are those other critical Life issues which have been raised concerning its treatment of the elderly and the disabled. We must find out the truth about those as well.This really is a matter of life and death. It is also a matter of truth and integrity among two competing public interest groups.

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