Federal Regulators Propose Abortion Law to Protect Health Care Workers
August 22nd, 2008 | by admin |
Washington - Federal officials in the US have proposed new legislation that would protect doctors and nurses who are against the act of abortion due to their own religious beliefs.
Under the proposed legislation funding could be pulled from hospitals in the US who do not provide appropriate accommodations for such employees when it comes to proper training for abortions, or abortion referral services.
Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt said yesterday that such employees of the health care field should not be made to face retaliation and unnecessary backlash from employers simply because their religious beliefs promt them not to participate in any matter dealing with abortions.
“Freedom of conscience is not to be surrendered upon issuance of a medical degree,” said Leavitt. “This nation was built on a foundation of free speech. The first principle of free speech is protected conscience.”
The regulation is now facing a 30 day public comment period, at which time its next step would be to be voted on by the House.
“This regulation is not about contraception,” Leavitt added. “It’s about abortion and conscience. It is very closely focused on abortion and physician’s conscience.”
