‘First, Do No Harm’

Today, the Obama Administration officially began the process of rescinding the Bush Administration’s regulation protecting the conscience rights of doctors to not perform abortions. President Obama’s decision to overturn this important regulation is yet another attack on America’s culture of life.

In the past three decades, Congress has set forth several statutes protecting provider conscience rights, most recently the Hyde-Weldon law passed in 2004, which I supported. Under this law, no federal, state, or local government agency or program receiving funds from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services may discriminate against a health care provider because the provider refuses to perform, pay for, provide coverage of, or make referrals for abortions. This protection covers health care professionals, hospitals, HMOs, health insurance plans, and “any other kind of health care facility, organization, or plan.”

Abortion advocates argue that if doctors and other health care professionals are not forced to support or perform abortions, access to health care services for women will be restricted. In reality, many health care providers will leave the industry all together if forced to violate their moral convictions, thereby reducing access to health care services across the board. In addition, without the conscience protection regulation, providers opposed to participating in abortion remain susceptible to intolerance and coercion from employers with conflicting beliefs and possible lawsuits from outside organizations.

Last week, the Office of Management and Budget announced they were reviewing a proposal to repeal the rule, and starting today, March 10, the American people have 30 days to voice their opinions on the matter.

I urge Americans troubled by these actions to voice their concerns to the Obama Administration. Please submit your concerns either:

1. electronically via at regulations.gov;
2. via e-mail to proposedrescission@hhs.gov; or
3. by regular mail:
Office of Public Health and Science
Department of Health and Human Services
Attention: Rescission Proposal Comments
Hubert H. Humphrey
Building, 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Room 716G
Washington, DC 20201.

Press Release – Senator Jim DeMint

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