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Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) and Similar Measures Attacking Life
FOCA would have to be re-introduced by our current
Congress, or the
provisions in prior FOCA legislation may be introduced piece
meal rather than one comprehensive bill - e.g. every woman
has a fundamental right to an abortion, hospitals may be
forced to provide abortions, physicians may not be exempt
from performing abortions due to conscientious objection,
public funding may be required to pay for abortions.
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Fact sheet
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Conscience Protection Regulation
For 35 years, Congress has enacted laws respecting
conscience rights for healthcare workers. On
December 18, 2008, the Department of Health and
Human Services issued regulations that clarify and
allow enforcement of three laws: the Public Health
Service Act (1973), abortion non-discrimination
provisions (1996) and the Hyde-Weldon Conscience
Amendment (2004).
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Additional information
on recent regulations
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Summary of all current
federal conscience protection laws
In March 2009, the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services (HHS) invited the public to comment on a
proposal to rescind this important federal regulation protecting the
conscience rights of health care providers, especially those
at risk of being discriminated against because of their
moral or religious objection to abortion.
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Catholic Health
Association comments on proposed rescission
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Additional information from U.S. Conference of
Catholic Bishops |
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Hyde Amendment
The Hyde Amendment prevents federal funding of abortion and
has been enacted into law in various forms since 1976.
Currently, federal funding for abortion is restricted
except in cases of rape or incest or if the life of the
mother is endangered.
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Fact Sheet
Hyde/Weldon Conscience Protection Amendment
Approved by Congress in November 2004, this legislation adds
to the Hyde Amendment and prohibits governmental
discrimination against health care providers who decline to
provide, pay for, provide coverage of, or refer for
abortions.
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Fact Sheet
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Mexico City
Policy
Dictated
by executive order, this policy prohibited distribution of
U.S. funds to foreign, non-governmental organizations that
perform abortions, except to save
the life of the mother or
in cases of rape or incest. These organizations were also
restricted from actively promoting abortion as a method of
family planning and lobbying countries to change their
abortion laws. This policy was adopted by resolution at the
1984 U.N. Conference on Population and was in effect under
the Reagan as well as both Bush presidencies but was
rescinded during the Clinton administration.
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Fact Sheet
On January 23, 2009, President Obama
lifted
restrictions on U.S. government funding for groups that
provide abortion services or counseling abroad, reversing
this policy.
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Statement by Cardinal
Justin Rigali, chairman of the U.S. bishops' Committee on
Pro-Life Activities,
January 23, 2009 |
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Embryonic
Stem Cell Research Executive Order
By executive order on August 9, 2001, President Bush
implemented a policy banning federal funding of research
that destroys human embryos or uses embryos specially
created for research. The president’s order provided an
exception for research using stem cell lines already in
existence, even though those lines were derived from embryos
destroyed in privately funded research. On June 14, 2004,
the White House reaffirmed this policy.
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President Bush's Stem
Cell Decision
On March 9, 2009, President Obama issued an executive
order expanding federally funded human embryonic stem cell
research.
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U.S. Bishops' response |
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Florida Catholic Conference,
201 W. Park Avenue, Tallahassee, Florida 32301-7760 |
