Health Care Conscience Rights Act and more....

Please share this information with your parishioners, families, friends, and all people of good will....

Health Care Conscience Rights Act - Support HR 940 / S 1204

The Pennsylvania Catholic Conference has a special web site (https://www.votervoice.net/link/target/nchla/J6FPEN7bN.aspx), to send this message to Representative Mike Fitzpatrick, Senator Bob Casey, and Senator Pat Toomey, as well as to the president and to the vice president:

"Please include the Health Care Conscience Rights Act (H.R. 940, S. 1204) in upcoming 'must-pass' legislation.  Please represent me by supporting this measure, which ensures that the rights of conscience of all participants in our nation's health care system will be respected.

"Government must not force Americans to violate their religious and moral beliefs on respect for life when they provide health care or purchase health coverage.

"Thank you for representing me by taking a stand in support of religious liberty."

While Fitzpatrick is a co-sponsor of HR 940, neither Casey nor Toomey is a co-sponsor of S 1204. 

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The National Committee for a Human Life Amendment has a special web site (https://www.votervoice.net/NCHLA/Campaigns/30688/Respond), to send a similar message to Fitzpatrick, Casey, and Toomey, as well as to Speaker of the House John Boehner:

"Please work for approval of the Health Care Conscience Rights Act (H.R. 940, S. 1204) as part of upcoming 'must-pass' legislation. Government must not force Americans to violate their religious and moral beliefs on respect for life when they provide health care or purchase health coverage."

Please consider copying/pasting the following into that message:

In the interest of respect for basic human dignity (particularly child welfare), we also need your sponsorship/ support of 

• HR 732 / S 32 / S 369, 
• HR 1091 / S 583
• HR 3133, 
• HJ Res 51, 
• HR 7 / S946, 
• HR 1797 / S 886, 
• HR 301 / S 653, and 
• HR 23.

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Please also consider signing a petition urging Fitzpatrick, Casey, and Toomey to "Oppose Using Taxpayer Dollars to Fund Abortion" (http://nationalprolifealliance.com/tpfws_petition.aspx?roi=echo3-17043578696-14908365-0861d7f7893498caf517520e49d7cf6d&pid=ws7&npla=H0BGWT13I):

"Whereas:One out of every four babies conceived is a victim of abortion, a tragedy that has claimed more than 56 million innocent lives since the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion-on-demand; and

"Whereas: Every abortion is a gruesome act that ends an innocent human life and cannot be tolerated in a civilized society; and

"Whereas: Having failed to obtain popular support for their abortion-on-demand agenda, the pro-abortion lobby plans to pack the Court with pro-abortion judges and hide abortion funding into virtually every piece of 'must pass' legislation, including continuing resolutions, budget and authorization bills, so-called 'economic stimulus' bills and even defense authorization bills;

"Therefore: I urge you to work with pro-life members of your party, as well as Congressmen across the aisle, to vigorously oppose all attempts to use the budget to force taxpayers to fund abortion and abortionists."

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(Background)

Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act - Support HR 732 / S32 / S369

As per Priests for Life, "The Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act (CIANA) would make it illegal to take a minor across a state line to evade the requirements of a pre-abortion parental involvement law in the girl’s home state."  There are 110 co-sponsors of HR 732 (including Representative Chris Smith), but Mike Fitzpatrick is NOT among them.  Neither Bob Casey nor Pat Toomey are among the 6 co-sponsors of S.32.  However, Pat Toomey is one of the 28 co-sponsors of S.369.



Life at Conception Act - Support HR 1091 / S 583

As per CatholicVote.org, "'The Life at Conception Act'... aims to employ the protections afforded by the 14th amendment in defense of the unborn." Mike Fitzpatrick is not among the 95 co-sponsors of H.R.1091.  Neither Bob Casey nor Pat Toomey are among the 15 co-sponsors of S.583. 



Marriage - Support HR 3133 and H.J. Res 51

Virtually lost in discussions about changing marriage/family laws is the social justice truth that children need both a mom and a dad - the authentic rights of children are being ignored.  Opposing traditional marriage, Bob Casey is very publicly supporting the so-called "Respect for Marriage Act (the legislation that repeals the Defense of Marriage Act [DOMA])."   Ever so quietly claiming support for traditional marriage, Fitzpatrick and Toomey bring J.R. Tolkien's Fellowship of the Ring to mind:

“I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo. "So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”  
To claim support for traditional marriage but to maintain that marriage should simply be treated as a states' issue flies in the face of reality.  The USCCB supports H.R. 3133, the Marriage and Religious Freedom Act.  Mike Fitzpatrick has NOT joined 62 of his colleagues (including Representative Chris Smith) as a co-sponsor of HR 3133, nor has he joined the 55 co-sponsors of H.J. RES. 51 (including Representative Chris Smith).



No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act - Support HR 7 / S 946

As per Priests for Life, "The No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act would prohibit the federal funding of abortion, except in cases of rape, incest, or life of the mother."  HR 7 was introduced by Representative Chris Smith.  There are now 134 co-sponsors of HR 7, but Mike Fitzpatrick is NOT among them.  Neither Casey nor Toomey are among the 23 co-sponsors of senate version S 946.  While Casey is the sponsor of S 142 (without any co-sponsors), it strikes this blogger as inferior to S 946.



Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act - Support HR 1797/ S 886

"Priests for Life believes this is the most significant legislative effort to date in bringing protection to unborn children. We have therefore already alerted every parish in America to inform and mobilize its congregation in support of this bill. We are also calling upon pro-life organizations large and small to give it their full support" (Fr. Frank Pavone, 5/21/13). Mike Fitzpatrick has yet to join 184 of his colleagues (including Representative Chris Smith) as a co-sponsor of HR 1797. Pat Toomey is among the 33 co-sponsors of S 886, but Bob Casey is not.



Religious Freedom Throughout the World - Support HR 301 / S 653

As per Bishop Pates' 5/20/13 letter to Senators Roy Blunt and Carl Levin, "As Chair of the Committee on International Justice and Peace of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, I commend your tireless efforts to advance religious freedom as evidenced by your sponsorship of S. 653, a bill to establish a Special Envoy to Promote Religious Freedom of Religious Minorities in the Near East and South Central Asia." Neither Casey nor Toomey are among the 14 co-sponsors of S.653.   Mike Fitzpatrick has not joined 72 of his colleagues (including Representative Chris Smith) as a co-sponsor of the House version, HR 301.



The Sanctity of Human Life Act - Support HR 23

As per Priests for Life, "The Sanctity of Human Life Act would declare that the right to life guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution vests in each human being at 'fertilization, cloning, or its functional equivalent, irrespective of sex, health, function or disability, defect, stage of biological development, or condition of dependency.'  Further, the measure states that 'the Congress affirms that the Congress, each State, the District of Columbia, and all United States territories have the authority to protect the lives of all human beings residing in its respective jurisdictions.'"  Fitzpatrick has yet to join 40 of his colleagues as a co-sponsor of HR 23.