The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and Human Life Action (HLA) are urging individuals to contact members of Congress and ask them to support the Conscience Protection Act (CPA) of 2017.

 

The CPA was introduced in the House of Representatives by Rep. Diane Black (R-TN) and Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE), and in the Senate by Sen. James Lankford (R-OK).  A list of co-sponsors of the House and Senate bills can be seen here ( H.R. 644 ) and here ( S. 301 ). 

 

The CPA takes the core policy of the Weldon Amendment - protecting those who decline to perform, pay for, refer for, or provide coverage for abortion - and writes it into permanent law.  It also adds a private right of action to enforce this law and other longstanding conscience laws on abortion.  This will help nurses like Cathy DeCarlo and other health professionals who have been threatened with loss of their careers and livelihoods if they do not assist in abortions.  Their cases have sometimes languished for years at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights.

The USCCB and HLA stress that even if you have sent a message to your members of Congress in the past,  please take action  again today.  Additional USCCB information and actions are available  here .  See also the joint letters that the USCCB and 32 other groups sent to members of the Senate and House .

Thank you for taking action today!