RCRC - Obama Should Quickly Rescind HHS "Conscience" Rule

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Bush Administration's Anti-Abortion Rule Undermines Women's Right to Follow Their Conscience
President-elect Obama Must Act Quickly to Rescind Rule

Seven state Attorneys General and the Planned Parenthood Federation of America and National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association have filed separate suits challenging the legality of the recently-issued Bush Administration regulations permitting health care workers to refuse to provide or refer for treatments they find objectionable.

Statement of The Reverend Dr. Carlton W. Veazey, President and CEO, Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice

The Bush Administration’s regulation to expand the right to refuse to provide abortion information, services, and referrals is a case study in how respect for religious diversity has been undermined in the last eight years. Using the guise of protecting the conscience of healthcare providers, this Department of Health and Human Services regulation - which was finalized today - denies women and other patients their right to follow their conscience and make decisions according to their religious and moral beliefs.

This is an ideological measure and a troubling end to the Bush Administration's sad legacy on women's health. Not only is it a final blow against women's reproductive health needs, but also it will inflame the divisiveness over abortion as the Obama Administration begins its tenure. President-elect Obama has clearly stated his intention to seek commonsense, common ground ways to reduce unintended pregnancies and the need for abortion. This regulation ignores the very serious public health and community problems of unintended pregnancies and HIV/AIDS.

The Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC) calls on President-elect Obama to swiftly rescind the measure and move on to address urgent reproductive health needs.