I don't often address political issues in my blog, but in light of the impact this bill could have on the prolife movement, I felt it was important to share. My friend Larry Gadbaugh, CEO of Pregnancy Resource Centers of Greater Portland, sent the following email to their constituents explaining the impact that the current federal healthcare reform bill could have on the lives of countless unborn children and their moms, and the pregnancy resource centers who serve them. Here's what he wrote:
This is the bottom line: Abortion must be explicitly excluded from the healthcare bill, or else abortion will become federally mandated and embedded in our national healthcare system. This would have disastrous implications for PRC's mission, including:
- Abortions could increase by 33% under the proposed healthcare reform bill, according to the Guttmacher Institute. We already know that "free services" are attractive to abortion-vulnerable women. So it's no surprise the research shows that free abortions will be attractive, too.
- The bill needs specific language that excludes abortion or else pro-life healthcare providers will be required to refer for abortions, or cease practicing medicine. This will violate their "right of conscience." PRCs would be left without the doctors and nurses needed to carry out our life-affirming medical services.
- This bill also threatens to trump many state pro-life laws across the nation that protect women and the unborn.
What you can do to help:
1. Pray!
2. Email and write letters to your representative and two senators. Visit www.house.gov for your representative's contact information, and www.senate.gov for your senators' contact information. Here is example text that you can cut and paste into an email or a letter:
As one of your constituents, I am writing to urge you to ensure that language is included in any healthcare reform proposal or bill to explicitly exclude abortion. I am extremely concerned about the implications of what mandated coverage of abortion in healthcare plans would mean for our country. While the current bill would mandate coverage of abortion in every healthcare plan, it provides no provision for the rights of conscience of pro-life healthcare professionals. The current bill also threatens to trump many state pro-life laws that protect women and the unborn. I urge you to oppose any healthcare bill unless abortion is explicitly excluded from the scope of any federally mandated, federally subsidized, or federally defined health insurance plans.
3. Call your Representative and two Senators (see contact links, above). Use these instructions for a successful and informative phone call: a) Make sure that your phone calls are polite, concise, and personal to result in the most effective phone call. b) Tell them who you are, and that you live in their district/state. c) Keep it short and simple; and make sure your message includes, "As a constituent, I urge you to ensure that language is included in ANY healthcare reform proposal or bill to specifically EXCLUDE ABORTION." d). Be courteous and respectful. e) Thank them for their time.
4. Spread the word to friends, family, and co-workers!
This is not about politics. It's about people—the most helpless little ones and their mothers among us...and their families.
