Gary Hart: “for many individuals, opposition to abortion is not just a matter of choice but it has been a matter of conscience and…”

“for many individuals, opposition to abortion is not just a matter of choice but it has been a matter of conscience and faith. Many individuals so moved to oppose abortion are the health care providers who at one time under Federal law found themselves in the difficult position of objecting to the procedure but being forced to perform it. Fortunately in 1996 Congress recognized that those who choose to oppose abortions should not be forced to administer the procedure and passed legislation protecting those, as they called them, health care entities from being forced by the government to perform those abortions. Since the passage of that law, though, those who do not want to respect the right of individuals to conscientiously object to performing this procedure and want to ignore the will of Congress have fought this provision nationwide. The attack has been successful in cases such as in Alaska where courts have decided that they can force private hospitals to provide abortions as a condition of fully participating in their health care system. The ignorance of the faith and conscientious objection of American health care professionals and organizations is unacceptable. That is why I support this legislation.”