President Bush Pushes Ahead with Regulations to Protect Doctors' Conscience Rights
During his waning days in office, the president seems adamant to do what he can to protect the rights of medical professionals.
(Washington, DC)—In spite of opposition from abortion advocates, President Bush is poised to sign regulations that will help protect the rights of doctors and nurses to refuse to perform abortions on moral or religious grounds.
The regulations will enforce existing federal law that requires taxpayer-funded medical institutions not to discriminate against medical personnel who conscientiously object to performing abortions or assisting "in the performance of any part of a health service program or research activity," including the distribution of abortifacient contraceptives.
Pro-life advocates have hailed the regulations as a much-needed reminder to medical establishments of their employee's religious rights under the Constitution. In recent years pro-life doctors frequently claim to have been discriminated against for refusing to perform procedures that went against their consciences.
Abortion supporters, however, continue to wage war against the regulations, denouncing them as a threat to women's access to abortion.
Senators Hillary Clinton and Patty Murray introduced legislation Thursday to halt the regulations, accusing President Bush of "again putting ideology first" in a "last-minute attempt to undermine women's health care." The legislation cites a directive from White House Chief of Staff Joshua Bolton that discourages the submission of regulation proposals late in an administration.
Though the proposed regulations do not change federal law, both abortion groups and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the agency assigned to enforce such regulations, complain that they are redundant and will result in a reduction of abortions.
"It's unconscionable that the Bush administration, while promising a smooth transition, would take a final opportunity to politicize women's health," said Planned Parenthood Federation of America President Cecile Richards.
Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt sponsored and vigorously defended the regulations throughout the verification process.
"Federal law is explicit and unwavering in protecting federally funded medical practitioners from being coerced into providing treatments they find morally objectionable," Leavitt told the New York Times.
