I firmly believe the requirements under the Affordable Care Act, and the slate of regulations being created to implement it, infringe on no one’s conscience, demand no one change her or his religious beliefs, discriminate against no man or woman, put no additional economic burden on the poor, interfere with no one’s medical decisions, compromise no one’s health — that is, if you consider the law without refusal clauses.
In their righteous search to control women’s lives thank GOD Congressmen have the guidance the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the group that has covered for child rapists, pornographers, adulterers and others.
Almost exactly two years ago, during the heat of the health reform debate, I wrote an article asking why the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has so much power in the halls of Congress, especially when it comes to pushing for policies that deny women their rights. Today, I ask again: Why?
Catholics today expressed anger about the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ role in promoting support for the so-called “Protect Life Act” (HR 358), a bill that will endanger women’s lives across the US with an extreme ban on abortion coverage while expanding permission for health professionals to refuse to provide reproductive healthcare services, even in life-threatening situations.
The payoff for getting into debates with today’s Catholic hierarchy seems pretty low.
Could it be divine intervention? Just days after Catholic Charities cut off spousal benefits for DC employees to protect itself from the scourge of gay marriage, the Vatican is caught in a gay sex scandal.
A group representing America’s Catholic hospitals announced last week it would support the Senate health care bill, breaking rank with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Today, the Senate passed the Mikulski Amendment ensuring that women’s preventive health services like pelvic exams and STI testing are covered by all private insurers, at little or no additional costs to women.
Notre Dame should be praised for inviting a speaker, President Obama, who is committed to promoting a true culture of life–one that includes and values the women who give that life.
