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Letter to Congress from Religious Organizations, Urging Passage of Health Care Bill That Does Not Add or Expand Restrictions on Covering Abortion

The undersigned religious and religiously affiliated organizations urge Congress to support comprehensive, quality health care reform that maintains current language on abortion coverage and does not add new or expanded restrictions.

We believe that it is our social and moral obligation to ensure access to high quality comprehensive health care services at every stage in an individual’s life. Reforming the health care system in a way that guarantees affordable and accessible care for all is not simply a good idea—it is necessary for the well-being of all people in our nation.

The passage of meaningful health reform legislation will make significant strides toward accomplishing the important goal of access to health care for all. Unfortunately, both the Senate and House versions of health reform include language that imposes significant new restrictions on access to abortion services. These provisions would result in women losing health coverage they currently have, an unfortunate contradiction to the basic guiding principle of health care reform.

Providing affordable, accessible health care to all Americans is a moral imperative that unites Americans of many faith traditions. The selective withdrawal of critical health coverage from women is both a violation of this imperative and a betrayal of the public good.

The use of this legislation to advance new restrictions on abortion services that surpass those in current law will serve only to derail this important bill. We urge the passage of a bill that maintains the status quo, prohibiting federal funds from being used to pay for abortion services while still allowing women the option to use their own private funds to pay for abortion care. We believe this would be an appropriate reflection of the fact that our laws are intended to serve Americans of many diverse religious and moral views. American families should have the opportunity to choose health coverage that reflects their own values and medical needs, a principle that should not be sacrificed in the service of any political agenda.

We urge the Senate and the House to support meaningful health reform that maintains the status quo on abortion services.

Respectfully,
Catholics for Choice
Christian Community, Inc.
Disciples for Choice
Disciples Justice Action Network
The Episcopal Church
The Episcopal Women's Caucus
Jewish Women International
NA’AMAT USA
National Council of Jewish Women
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Washington Office
Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice
The Religious Institute
Union of Reform Judaism
United Church of Christ, Justice and Witness Ministries
United Methodist Church-General Board of Church and Society
Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations
Women of Reform Judaism
Women's League for Conservative Judaism