Conscience Protection Act of 2016

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. LaHOOD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Conscience Protection Act, and I would like to thank my colleague from Tennessee for her work on this important issue.

Health care is about saving life, not taking life. Medical professionals should not be forced to violate their deeply held convictions and participate in abortion procedures based on a government mandate.

In this Nation, universities and even churches are being forced to cover abortion through their insurance plans. These mandates trample on religious freedom.

This bill, which I support here today, would stop the Federal Government and State and local governments from penalizing, retaliating, or discriminating against a healthcare provider if that provider chooses to not participate in abortion services.

I am the proud father of three boys with my wife Kristen, and I am also a practicing Catholic. I stand here today in defense of the unborn and religious freedom.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues, regardless of their faith or their views on abortion, to understand and realize that this form of government coercion is immoral. We must protect Americans' rights to follow their conscience, and I urge my colleagues to support this necessary legislation.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source