Speak out: Conscience-protecting bill battle coming to U.S. House

The House Rules Committee has announced that it will meet on Tuesday, May 3, 2011 to consider H.R. 3, the “No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act” introduced by Pro-life Caucus Co-chairs Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Dan Lipinksi (D-IL).  Expect heated debate in the House next week focused on conscience rights. H.R. 3 would:

• establish a government-wide permanent prohibition on funding for abortion (including subsidies for abortion coverage under the “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act”);
• codify the Hyde-Weldon conscience clause; and
• remove tax-preferred status for abortion through health savings accounts.

Section 310 of H.R. 3 ensures that a federal, State or local government that receives Federal funds may not discriminate against any individual or institutional health care entity on the basis that the entity does not provide, pay for, provide coverage of, or refer for abortions.  This section includes legal remedies that provides a right to sue for institutions and individuals who are discriminated against. This language reflects the Hyde-Weldon conscience clause with the addition of a remedies section to allow victims of discrimination to seek redress in court.
Action: Urge your Representative--especially if he or she is on the list below of Members who did not cosponsor H.R. 3--and urge him or her to vote FOR H.R. 3 and AGAINST all hostile amendments:
Republicans who did not cosponsor H.R. 3.
1. Bass (NH)
2. Biggert (IL)
3. Bono Mack (CA)
4. Camp (MI)
5. Capito (WV)
6. Dent (PA)
7. Dold (IL)
8. Dreier (CA)
9. Frelinghuysen (NJ)
10. Gibson (NY)
11. Hanna (NY)
12. Hastings, D (WA)
13. Hayworth (NY)
14. Heller (NV)
15. Herrera (WA)
16. Meehan (PA)
17. Paulsen (MN)
18. Reichert (WA)
19. Renacci (OH)
20. Rohrabacher (CA)
21. Runyan (NJ)
22. Tipton (CO)
23. Webster (FL)
24. Young, D (AK)
Democrats who previously voted for similar legislation, but did not cosponsor H.R. 3
1. Altmire (PA)
2. Baca (CA)
3. Barrow (GA)
4. Bishop, S (GA)
5. Cardoza (CA)
6. Chandler (KY)
7. Cooper (TN)
8. Costa (CA)
9. Cuellar, Henry (TX)
10. Doyle (PA)
11. Kaptur (OH)
12. Kildee (MI)
13. Langevin (RI)
14. Lynch (MA)
15. Matheson (UT)
16. Michaud (ME)
17. Neal (MA)
18. Reyes (TX)
19. Ryan, T (OH)