Pro-choicers seek to block pro-life conscience clause
- Dec 15, 2004 - comment
A pro-choice coalition has challenged a new federal law that protects health care providers from being coerced into participating in abortions.
Five days after President Bush signed the pro-life conscience clause into law, the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association (NFPRHA) filed suit in federal court Dec. 13 to block the measure’s enforcement. The clause was part of a $388 billion omnibus spending bill.
The conscience language prohibits grants to federal agencies or state or local governments that discriminate against health care providers and entities that refuse to “provide, pay for, provide coverage of or refer for abortions.” The measure protects doctors, other health care professionals, hospitals, health maintenance organizations, health insurance plans and other health care entities. The clause will have to be renewed next year to remain in effect, since it is part of a budget measure for only 2005. It could become a permanent law if it is approved as a free-standing bill.
The threat to health care providers was not imagined, pro-lifers said. Hospitals in Alaska, New Jersey and New Mexico with pro-life policies already have been targets of discrimination, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops reported. The new measure was needed because current federal law has been interpreted to protect only doctors and medical training programs, according to the USCCB.
The anti-discrimination language survived despite the opposition of abortion rights advocates in the Senate. According to The Washington Post, Senate foes agreed not to seek to block the proposal after they were promised by Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee a vote would be held early next year on a repeal of the legislation.
NFPRHA members include affiliates of Planned Parenthood Federation of America; local, county and state health departments; family planning councils, and international family planning agencies.