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House Passes Conscience Protection

Press Release

By: Joe Pitts
By: Joe Pitts
Date: July 13, 2016
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Religion Abortion

The House of Representatives today passed S. 304, the Conscience Protection Act. S. 304 has a clear and simple goal of preventing government discrimination against health care entities that refuse to participate in abortion. The legislation passed by a vote of 245 - 182.

"The Conscience Protection Act would simply make the protections of the Weldon conscience amendment permanent and more effective," stated Health Subcommittee Chairman Joseph Pitts (R-PA). "The Weldon amendment has been the law of the land, and it has been approved by Congress as part of the appropriations process every year since 2004."

S. 304 reaffirms the protections outlined by the Weldon amendment, and it will ensure that discriminated individuals and health care entities are able to have their day in court, instead of just filing a complaint with HHS' Office of Civil Rights.

Last Friday, Chairman Pitts led a forum on conscience protections, where participants echoed a unified theme - #NoAbortionCoercion -- that no American should be forced to participate in an abortion.


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