Washington DC, October 26, 2024 / 9:00 AM
Catholic health care leaders support important policy initiatives to protect religious freedom in health care and express concern about the industry’s future if Vice President Kamala Harris is elected.
“The Biden administration, particularly the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and many state governments, is engaged in an unprecedented attack on civil rights, including religious freedom and health care rights of conscience,” said Lewis Brown, executive director of Christ Medicus Foundation. Ta. He spoke Thursday at an event hosted by the Religious Freedom Institute (RFI) in Washington, D.C.
Brown said that if Vice President Kamala Harris wins the presidential election and enacts the policy initiatives her administration has promoted, there will be a “massive setback in health care access nationwide” and insufficient This will have a direct impact on the health and well-being of underserved communities. in the usa
“Just a few days ago, I heard Vice President Harris say that she doesn’t believe in religious exemptions for abortion procedures,” he said, referring to comments made by the Democratic candidate in an NBC interview on Tuesday. .
Asked whether she would consider religious exemptions for federal abortion laws, Harris said: “I don’t think we should compromise when we’re talking about the fundamental freedom to make decisions about your own body.” said.
“If ultimately successful, these religious freedom violations would render the faithful practice of Catholic medicine unlawful and illegal, effectively destroying Catholic health care in the United States,” Brown said. He continued.
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) states on its website that the U.S. Catholic Health Network currently includes 645 hospitals, 438 medical centers, 1,389 specialty facilities, 105 orphanages, 853 day care centers, and 3,449 social services. It is reported that there is a center. , which helps more than 118 million patients annually.
In his remarks at the RFI gathering, Mr. Brown outlined seven key policy initiatives to protect religious freedom and Catholic health care in the United States. These include allowing faith-based health care providers an equal opportunity to serve patients, enacting protections for human life and dignity, and ensuring patient access. Life-affirming care, reversal of harmful HHS mandates, and protection of health care workers’ rights to freedom of conscience and religion.
“When God-given dignity, human love, and God’s love are at the center of health care, all Americans, especially our most vulnerable, live longer, happier, and healthier. It puts you in the best position to live more happily,” Brown said.
Asked how Catholics should consider potential concerns about the second Trump administration, such as the proposed universal coverage of IVF and the impact on Catholic health care providers, Brown said: He emphasized the importance of voting to “do more good and limit evil.”
“I think as Catholics and as Catholic health leaders, we need to be Catholic first,” Brown said. “Whether it’s law, medicine, health care, in all of these things, Catholicism must come first, and political support must come second.”
But, he continued, “At the same time, I think there are a lot of human dignity issues when it comes to these things, especially in the medical field. Vice President Harris’ policies overall are completely abhorrent to human dignity. I think it’s true.”
“When it comes to the Trump administration’s policies, although they are very imperfect, [they are] “It’s excellent when it comes to issues of human dignity in healthcare,” he added. “Absolutely excellent.”
Madalaine Eljabar is a staff reporter for Catholic News Agency based in EWTN’s Washington, D.C., bureau. She is published by CatholicVote and also worked as a foreign language assistant in France. She is a graduate of Benedictine College.
