Religious Legislation:
As COCORE becomes aware of bills or news items related to people forcing their religious views on others, they will appear on this page. It is suggested that if the reader disagrees with the legislation or activity, that they should contact their appropriate legislator.
From Jeanette Norman
July 17, 2008We have just received news that new regulations proposed by the Bush Administration's Health and Human Services Secretary would allow a heathcare worker's religious beliefs to trump a woman's ability to access contraceptives.
If these regulations go into law, medical professionals who are already allowed to "conscientiously object" to performing abortions may also be allowed to "conscientiously object" to providing women access to contraceptives, including emergency contraceptives.
No medical professional should be allowed to offer inadequate care or to withhold vital information from a patient because their personal religious beliefs forbid the use of birth control.
We must stop these provisions from being enacted and to do that we need YOU to speak out.
If these regulations are adopted, a health care center employee opposed to the provision of birth control who was hired to schedule patient appointments could refuse to schedule patients seeking those services.
Tell Secretary Leavitt that his proposed regulations expanding the "conscience clause" to include contraceptives is unconscionable.
TAKE ACTION NOW: http://www.secular.org/activism/
Best wishes, Lori Lipman Brown, Director Secular Coalition for America