WASHINGTON, D.C. – A pro-life coalition yesterday launched a national www.Call2Conscience.com campaign to urge Congress to include language to protect conscience rights in any upcoming continuing resolutions to fund the government. The coalition, led by the national pro-life Susan B. Anthony List (SBA List), includes more than 30 national and statewide groups who disagree with the Obama Administration’s abortion-inducing drug mandate. The coalition website features a grassroots action center where people of faith and conscience can contact their representatives.
“There must be no religious ‘test’ by the government as to who, and what type of entities, are entitled to a conscience. We demand respect for non-religious entities such as the Susan B. Anthony List that recognize the taking of human life is the antithesis of health care. Congress must act immediately to ensure the right of citizens to be free from government compulsion of this most fundamental issue.” –Marjorie Dannenfelser, President, Susan B. Anthony List
“The so-called HHS Mandate ‘opt-out’ is not really an opt-out when only some of the prisoners of conscience are released while the rest are kept hostage. Organizations and employers like Hobby Lobby and even human rights organizations like Students for Life of America are still being forced to provide abortion pills to employees. The First Amendment applies to ALL Americans, not just the select few the Obama Administration decides to give exemptions to. We must enact comprehensive conscience protections immediately to ensure our rights are upheld.” – Kristan Hawkins, President, Students for Life of America
“It was the Obama Administration that decided access to abortifacients, sterilization and contraception trumped the conscience rights of American citizens. Congress is the last line of defense for religious liberty and they need to pass strong conscience legislation today.” – Tom McClusky, Vice President for Government Affairs, Family Research Council
“Since the Obama Administration continues to callously trample Americans’ religious liberties, we call on Congress to boldly act to protect our convictions by including conscience legislation in any must-pass legislation to fund the government. When Americans are forced to deny their deeply held religious convictions, it is not called ‘balance,’ it’s called ‘tyranny.” – Penny Nance, President & CEO, Concerned Women for America
This effort comes on the heels of a nationwide postcard campaign launched by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) as well as a letter to Congress written by Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore, chair of the USCCB Ad Hoc Committee on Religious Liberty. In his letter, Archbishop Lori urged Congress to protect religious liberty and conscience in any funding legislation and expressed his disappointment with the Obama Administration’s recent proposed changes to the HHS Mandate.
As the Affordable Care Act is implemented, some former Members of Congress are publicly lamenting their vote for it, which cost them their job during the 2010 midterm elections. Both former Representatives Bart Stupak and Kathy Dahlkemper have decried the fact that with the HHS Mandate, President Obama violated the abortion funding “compromise” they thought they had secured.
The Call2Conscience.com campaign will host a webcast featuring Rep. Diane Black (R-TN) and national pro-life leaders tonight, February 26, at 9:00 pm ET. The webcast will rally pro-life Americans and call on Congress to include conscience protection from the Obama Administration’s abortion-inducing drug mandate in any upcoming must-pass legislation.
Americans can sign up for the webcast at www.Call2Conscience.com, which also features a grassroots action center where constituents can contact their representatives.
National Coalition Members:
- 40 Days for Life
- American Catholics for Religious Freedom
- American Life League
- American Majority Action
- American Principles in Action
- American Values
- Americans United for Life Action
- And Then There Were None
- Anglicans for Life
- Association of Christian Schools International
- Catholic Advocate
- Catholics for Freedom of Religion
- CatholicVote.org
- Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee
- FRC Action
- Hispanic Leadership Fund
- Liberty Center for Law and Policy
- Liberty Counsel Action
- LifeNews.com
- Live Action Advocate
- Priests for Life
- Pro-Life Action League
- Pro-Life Action Ministries
- Stand Up for Religious Freedom
- Students for Life of America
- Susan B. Anthony List
- The Catholic Association
State Coalition Members:
- A Rose and a Prayer
- American Family Association of Pennsylvania
- Arizona Right to Life
- Colorado Christian Outdoorsmen
- CWA of Missouri
- Delaware Faith & Freedom Coalition
- Florida Faith & Freedom Coalition
- Independence Hall Tea Party Association
- Iowa Right to Life
- Lake County Right to Life
- New Jersey Right to Life
- North Carolina Craven-Pamlico Christian Coalition
- Oregon Right to Life
- Pennsylvania Family Council
- Right to Life of Greater Cincinnati
- Right to Life of Northeast Ohio
- The Family Foundation
- Wisconsin Family Action
Photo Credit: Shane Vander Hart via Flickr (used with permission)
