BACK TO NEWS 

News

Reverend Dr. Carlton W. Veazey, President of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice

The Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice is grateful that the day is approaching when more Americans will have access to health care. Yet we are troubled that the House of Representative has imposed the theological views of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops on the American people.

RCRC agreed that health care reform must not become tangled in the abortion debate. We supported the Capps Amendment to preserve the status quo. But this was not enough for the anti-choice community, which insisted on using health care reform to expand restrictions on access to abortion services.

We oppose the Stupak-Pitts Amendment to the House of Representatives health care bill as an attack on religious liberty and on the rights of women.

The restrictions passed by the House do not reflect the views of most Americans across religions. Data from a public opinion poll of registered voters done by the Mellman Group for the Women Donors Network and Communications Consortium Media Center in late August showed significant support across religions for the more moderate Capps language to maintain the status quo. During the House floor debate more restrictive language was adopted as a part of the Stupak-Pitts Amendment.

The impact of an amendment like Stupak-Pitts will be felt by women of all faiths.
• women’s access to insurance coverage for abortion would be restricted
• millions of women would lose benefits that they currently have
• millions more women would be prohibited from buying health insurance with abortion benefits even though no federal dollars would be used for that coverage

Today we call on the Senate to ensure that health care reform is freed of religious doctrine and restrictions that will prevent women from making their own reproductive health care choices. Specifically,
• There should be no Stupak-Pitts language in the Senate or conference committee health care bills
• Congress should ensure that women do not lose insurance coverage they currently have
• Health care reform is about expanding access to health care for all, not rolling back women’s access to needed health services.