US bishops renew call for universal health care without abortion

May 25, 2009

Bishop William F. Murphy of Rockville Centre, chairman of the Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, has renewed the US bishops’ call for universal access to health care without abortion coverage. “While we support reforming our nation’s health care system, we must also be clear in strongly opposing inclusion of abortion as part of a national health care benefit,” he said in a May 20 statement addressed to US political leaders. “We also oppose inclusion of other procedures or technologies that attack or undermine the sanctity and dignity of life. No health care reform plan should compel us or others to pay for or participate in the destruction of human life.”

“Decent health care is not a privilege, but a basic human right and a requirement to protect the life and dignity of every person,” added Bishop Murphy. “All people need and should have access to comprehensive, quality health care that they can afford, and this should not depend on their stage of life, where or whether they or their parents work, how much they earn, or where they live or where they come from.”

 

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Further information:

• Bishop Murphy: Statement for the Record on United States Senate Committee on Finance Roundtable Discussion on “Expanding Health Care Coverage” (USCCB)
• Bishops Renew Long-Term And Urgent Call For Health Care Reform That Benefits All In Statement To Senate Committee (USCCB)
• Roundtable Discussion on “Expanding Health Care Coverage” (US Senate Committee on Finance)