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Urgent Action: Urge Congress to Pass the Conscience Protection Act NOW! July 12th, 2016
(JPIC action alert is adapted from an alert action resource by USCCB)
July 13, the House is scheduled to vote on the Conscience Protection Act of 2016. Recent action by the federal government allowing California to continue forcing health plans to cover abortions has prompted the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to call for an immediate federal remedy. Oblates JPIC strongly supports the Catholic Bishops and urge you take immediate action in support of the Conscience Protection Act of 2016 H.R. 4828/S. 2927.
It is critical that you contact your representatives and urge them to take immediate action to enact the Conscience Protection Act of 2016 H.R. 4828/S. 2927). Even if you have responded to a previous alert, please contact your representatives again and urge them to support this bill.
On July 13, the House is scheduled to vote on the Conscience Protection Act of 2016. It would amend the Public Health Service Act to “codify the prohibition against the federal government and state and local governments that receive federal financial assistance for health-related activities penalizing or discriminating against a health care provider based on the provider’s refusal to be involved in, or provide coverage for, abortion.”
In 2014, California started forcing almost all health plans in the state to cover elective abortions, even late-term abortions. Religious employers in California that offer group health plans to their employees lodged an objection with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which has oversight responsibility for enforcing federal conscience laws. On June 21, HHS declared, contrary to the plain meaning of current federal law that the California Department of Managed Health Care can continue to force all health plans under its jurisdiction to cover elective abortions.
What is more, other states such as Washington and New York may be following California’s lead. These actions clearly violate a federal law known as the Weldon Amendment, which forbids governments receiving federal health care funds to discriminate against those who decline to take part in abortion or abortion coverage. Unfortunately, this amendment has limitations that may make it difficult to enforce.
While HHS badly interpreted the Weldon amendment, the Conscience Protection Act (CPA) of 2016, (H.R. 4828/S. 2927), will make it even clearer that sponsors or providers of health plans that do not include elective abortion cannot be discriminated against. The CPA will protect health care providers from being forced to pay for or participate in abortions, and allow victims of discrimination a “right of action” to defend their rights in court. For example, nurses threatened with loss of their jobs unless they assist in abortions have found they have no right to go to court to see the law enforced. Congress should reaffirm a principle that has long enjoyed broad bipartisan support: Government should not force hospitals, doctors, nurses and other providers to stop offering much-needed health care because they cannot in good conscience participate in destroying a human life.
TAKE ACTION:
- Send an email to your Congressional Representative
- Contact your Representative by phone. Call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121 or call his or her local office.
Suggested Message:
I urge you to enact H.R. 4828/S. 2927, the Conscience Protection Act of 2016, to defend the conscience rights of those who wish not to be involved in supporting abortion. Enacting this law is even more urgent with the recent decision by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to allow the state of California to continue forcing health plans to cover elective abortions. This bill is needed now to stop further discrimination against all people who respect unborn human life. It is wrong for government to force Americans to violate their deeply held convictions on respect for human life.
CONCLUSION:
Missionary Oblates JPIC Applauds Final Release of a Rule on Oil and Mining Transparency June 30th, 2016
The Missionary Oblates Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation office applauds the final release of a rule by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which requires oil, gas and mining companies to disclose and report payments they make to governments for resource extraction. Section 1504 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (2010) requires U.S.-listed oil, gas and mining companies to disclose what they pay to governments in annual filings.
This rule will increase transparency on payment for extractives, especially to governments in Africa and Latin America. We believe this rule will make a significant difference in the lives of poor people living in resource rich countries by allowing more transparency from oil, gas and mining companies about payments made to national or regional governments.
Knowing information about payments received for resource extraction will empower local communities to demand their governments invest into local community initiatives, especially in schools, hospitals and roads. Missionary Oblates JPIC staff participated in several partner meetings, signed-on to letters and attended conferences that called for the adoption of stronger rules on resource extraction.
Meet Our 2016 Summer Intern – Deaglan McKillop June 30th, 2016
Deaglan McKillop, 2016 JPIC Intern
Deaglan is from Liverpool, England and will intern at JPIC for two weeks. He is a law student at the University of Liverpool. Before attending university Deaglan took a year off to do some volunteer work. He spent two months in South Africa working at Little Eden, a community that cares for adults and children who are disabled. In 2015 Deaglan interned at the Pontifical Mission Societies in New York under Fr. Andrew Small, OMI. He will spend this summer interning both at JPIC in Washington, DC and again at Pontifical Mission Societies in New York.
Pope Francis Addresses Constantinople Patriarchate Delegation, Highlights Plight of Refugees June 30th, 2016
Pope Francis addressed a delegation from the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, with whom he held a private audience on Tuesday in the Vatican, calling the mercy of God ‘the bond uniting us.’
The delegation came to Rome following the conclusion of the week-long Pan-Orthodox Council, which was held on the Greek island of Crete.
Read the article and full statement.
“..I thank the Lord that this past April I was able to meet my beloved brother Bartholomew when, together with the Archbishop of Athens and of All Greece, His Beatitude Ieronymos II, we visited the Isle of Lesvos, to be with the refugees and migrants. Seeing the despair on the faces of men, women and children uncertain of their future, listening helplessly as they related their experiences, and praying on the shore of the sea that has claimed the lives of so many innocent persons, was a tremendously moving experience. It made clear how much still needs to be done to ensure dignity and justice for so many of our brothers and sisters. A great consolation in that sad experience was the powerful spiritual and human closeness that I shared with Patriarch Bartholomew and Archbishop Ieronymos…”
Read the article and full statement.
U.S. Civil Society Organizations Support Bilateral Ceasefire in Colombia June 24th, 2016
After half a century of brutal war, the Colombian government and FARC guerrillas have reached an agreement for a bilateral ceasefire, holding out the promise that a final peace agreement is near.
Missionary Oblates JPIC joins other groups in welcoming this historic step forward. At the same time, there are tremendous challenges ahead, including to launch successful negotiations with the last remaining major guerrilla group, the ELN; and to dismantle the paramilitary successor groups that continue intimidating and harming communities throughout Colombia. And the major challenge will be to build peace from the ground up, ensuring that the victims of violence have real access to truth, justice, reparations and the guarantee that the violent past will not return.
As Colombia moves towards a negotiated settlement, we urge the international community to support efforts to build a just and lasting peace.
Read the full public statement here.
