Catholic leaders ask House to adopt conscience protection language

Published: 2004-07-14

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Additional language on federal abortion funding is "urgently needed to counteract a nationwide effort to attack the conscience rights of religious and other health care providers," leaders of three Catholic organizations said in a July 13 letter. The letter, addressed to members of the House Appropriations Committee, was signed by Msgr. William P. Fay, general secretary of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops; Father Michael D. Place, president and CEO of the Catholic Health Association; and Dr. John D. Lane, president of the Catholic Medical Association. The leaders were writing to support an amendment on conscience protection proposed by Rep. Dave Weldon, R-Fla., to the Hyde Amendment on abortion funding in the fiscal year 2005 appropriations bill for the departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education. The Hyde Amendment, which has been adopted by Congress every year since 1976, prohibits the use of federal funds for abortion under Medicaid or other programs administered by the three departments, except in cases of rape or incest or danger to the mother's life.

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