Respect Life - Action Alerts

Faith in Action: HHS Mandate Comments Due

Dear Friend of the Respect Life Office,

In February 2012, the Obama administration issued a "proposed rule" suggesting revisions of its earlier mandate requiring most health plans to cover sterilizations, contraception and abortion inducing drugs. As you know, the Bishops were not satisfied with the revision. The USCCB and Catholic Conference of Illinois filed comments with the HHS on this new proposal. As members of the public, you can also file your own comments by Monday, April 8. CLICK HERE for an easy way to file your comments.

Conscience Protection Alert

Congress is preparing to consider "must-pass" legislation to fund the federal government for the remainder of fiscal year 2013. This presents the first opportunity in this Congress to incorporate conscience protection provisions in legislation on which Congress must act.

Please contact your federal congressman/woman at www.nchla.org/actiondisplay.asp?ID=292 and advise him or her of the importance of protecting the right of conscience.

State of Illinois Legislature in Springfield

Take action to oppose HB 3027, which mandates "comprehensive" sex education, by contacting your State Representative.

CLICK HERE to get details and take action.

FEDERAL

The Respect for Rights of Conscience Act amends ObamaCare to protect conscience rights and religious liberty. Ask your Representative to support H.R. 1179 and your Senators to support S. 1467.

CLICK HERE to get details.

Ultrasound Opportunity Act 4085

Recently, on behalf of the Catholic Conference of Illinois and other pro-life groups, Representative Joe Lyons (D-Chicago) introduced House Bill 4085, The Ultrasound Opportunity Act. The Ultrasound Opportunity Act simply requires that a woman seeking an abortion, after 7 weeks gestation, be offered the opportunity to receive and view an ultrasound of her baby by the physician who is to perform the abortion, the referring physician, or another qualified person working in conjunction with either physician.

Please go to our website at www.catholicconferenceofillinois.org for a fact sheet to better inform you of the bill’s provisions. We expect House Bill 4085 to go to committee in two weeks. Please contact your Illinois State Representative now and ask him or her to “vote for House Bill 4085, for informed consent and for the opportunity for women to see an ultrasound of their unborn babies.”

If you do not know who your state representative, you can look it up at www.ilga.gov and click on Legislator Lookup in the bottom right column or call our office at 217-528-9200 for assistance. The time to act is now! Thanks for all you do in support of life.

If Joe Lyons is your Representative - Call and thank him for sponsoring this bill.

Also, ask your Representative to support:

HB 4117 requires all Illinois abortion clinics to meet basic health department regulations.

For more information on the bill go to:
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?
DocNum=4117&GAID=11&DocTypeID=
HB&LegId=63399&SessionID=84