Late last week Mr. Timothy Stoltzfus Jost, of the Washington and Lee University School of Law, made the claim that there are no “significant differences” between the House and Senate health care reform bills on the issue of abortion. Mr. Jost argued that since there were no differences between the two bills on this major issue that House members should approve the Senate bill which is currently before the House.  The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has analyzed the Senate bill and shown that the Senate bill does indeed expand federal funding for abortion. Please see the attached documents for more information.

(Web note: attachments are linked below)

However, there have been some voices in national Catholic health care ministry who have accepted Mr. Jost’s analysis on its face. We feel compelled, under the circumstances, to let you know that we respectfully disagree with Mr. Jost and are in full agreement with the U.S. Conference of Bishops in asking you not to support the Senate version of the health care reform bill.

As a community of faith the Catholic Church supports true health care reform. True health care reform ensures that health care is accessible and affordable for all, while maintaining current federal law regarding abortion funding and conscience protection. Unfortunately, the Senate version before the House at this time would change current federal law and provide tax dollars for elective abortions. This is a drastic shift from current law, which under the Hyde Amendment, bars federal funding for abortions or plans that include abortion. In addition, the Senate version does not include a conscience protection for physicians and hospitals who are morally opposed to performing abortions. The Senate version would also prohibit those among us who are undocumented from purchasing health insurance with their own money.

Attachments (all open as PDF documents)

For more information, visit the USCCB Health Care Web site here.