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Obama Aborts Doctors' Choice
By John P. Connolly, The Bulletin
President Barack Obama is poised to repeal conscience protections for physicians and caretakers who object to providing abortions that were enacted by the Bush administration, according to reports.
Mr. Obama is expected to announce his plans this week to rescind a federal rule that reinforced protections for medical providers who refuse to perform abortions and other procedures because of moral reasons.
A Health and Human Services official told the Associated Press late last week the administration will publish an official notice of its intentions early this week.
The Bush administration instituted the rule in the last few days leading up to Mr. Obama’s inauguration. It was almost instantly challenged in court, with abortion advocates arguing that such a measure would cut into contraception access.
The rule bars any organizations that receive federal funding from discriminating against health-care workers who oppose abortion or sterilization procedures due to moral or religious reasons. The Bush administration said the rule was designed to enforce current laws.
“This rule implements federal laws protecting health-care workers and institutions from being compelled to participate in, or from being discriminated against for refusal to participate in health services or research activities that may violate their consciences, including abortion and sterilization, by entities that receive certain funding from the department,” the text of the rule read.
The decision to repeal the rule will open a 30-day period where advocates, medical groups and the public may comment on the rule and raise concerns over its repeal.
John P. Connolly can be reached at jconnolly@thebulletin.us
Mr. Obama is expected to announce his plans this week to rescind a federal rule that reinforced protections for medical providers who refuse to perform abortions and other procedures because of moral reasons.
A Health and Human Services official told the Associated Press late last week the administration will publish an official notice of its intentions early this week.
The Bush administration instituted the rule in the last few days leading up to Mr. Obama’s inauguration. It was almost instantly challenged in court, with abortion advocates arguing that such a measure would cut into contraception access.
The rule bars any organizations that receive federal funding from discriminating against health-care workers who oppose abortion or sterilization procedures due to moral or religious reasons. The Bush administration said the rule was designed to enforce current laws.
“This rule implements federal laws protecting health-care workers and institutions from being compelled to participate in, or from being discriminated against for refusal to participate in health services or research activities that may violate their consciences, including abortion and sterilization, by entities that receive certain funding from the department,” the text of the rule read.
The decision to repeal the rule will open a 30-day period where advocates, medical groups and the public may comment on the rule and raise concerns over its repeal.
John P. Connolly can be reached at jconnolly@thebulletin.us
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