TAKE ACTION NOW!
Contact your US Senator and Representative today and urge them to support true health care reform which maintains the status quo on federal funding of abortion, allows access for all, and includes full conscience protections. Leer este articulo en Espanol aqui.
WHY IS THIS ACTION IMPORTANT NOW?
As long-time advocates of health care reform, the U.S. Catholic bishops continue to make the moral case that genuine health care reform must protect the life, dignity, consciences and health of all, especially the poor and vulnerable. Health care reform should provide access to affordable and quality health care for all, and not advance a pro-abortion agenda in our country. Genuine health care reform is being blocked by those who insist on reversing widely supported policies against federal funding of abortion and plans which include abortion, not by those working simply to preserve these longstanding protections.
-On November 7, the U.S. House of Representatives passed major health care reform that reaffirms the essential, longstanding and widely supported policy against using federal funds for elective abortions and includes positive measures on affordability and immigrants.
-On December 24, the U.S. Senate rejected this policy and passed health care reform that requires federal funds to help subsidize and promote health plans that cover elective abortions. All purchasers of such plans will be required to pay for other peopleâ?Ts abortions through a separate payment solely to pay for abortion. And the affordability credits for very low income families purchasing private plans in a Health Insurance Exchange are inadequate and would leave families financially vulnerable.
-Outside the abortion context, neither bill has adequate conscience protection for health care providers, plans or employers.
-Congressional leaders are now trying to figure out how the rules of the House and Senate could allow the final passage of a modified bill that would satisfy disagreements between House and Senate versions.
Please act by the end of March 14, 2009
ACT NOW:
To find out who your US Senator and Representative are, click here and insert your address. We have a Legislator Contact form on our website here that you can download and print to have this information for later use.Below are two Sample Messages for both your Senator and Representative.
To find out who your US Senator and Representative are, click here and insert your address. We have a Legislator Contact form on our website here that you can download and print to have this information for later use.Below are two Sample Messages for both your Senator and Representative.
Sample Message to your Senator:
"I am deeply disappointed that the current un-amended Senate health care bill fails to maintain the longstanding policy against federal funding of abortion and does not include adequate protection for conscience. I urge you to support essential provisions against abortion funding, similar to those in the House bill. Include full conscience protection and ensure that health care is accessible and affordable for all. I urge you to oppose any bill unless and until these criteria are met. If you have any questions on the position of the Bishops of Texas with regard to this bill, feel free to contact the Texas Catholic Conference at 512-339-9882. Thank you for your time."
Sample Message to your Representative:
"I am pleased that the House health care bill maintains the longstanding policy against federal funding of abortion. On the other hand, the provisions on abortion funding in the current un-amended Senate health care bill are seriously deficient and unacceptable. I urge you to work to uphold essential provisions against abortion funding, to include full conscience protection and to ensure that health care is accessible and affordable for all. I urge you to oppose any bill unless and until these criteria are met. If you have any questions on the position of the Bishops of Texas with regard to this bill, feel free to contact the Texas Catholic Conference at 512-339-9882. Thank you for your time.â?ť
Feel free to write to us at info@txcatholic.org to let us know about your calling experience and about any responses you receive.
More Information:
For more information visit www.USCCB.org/healthcare
The Texas Catholic Conference tries to be judicious in issuing alerts and does so when contact from constituents will make a difference at a critical moment in a bill's movement through the legislature. You may direct questions to Maria Huemmer, public relations and outreach coordinator at maria@txcatholic.org.
www.TXcatholic.org--To go back to the blog home page, click here
To go back to the TCC home page, click here
Posts
