Dan Coats: “Last week, as we were looking at potential amendments for this legislation, the issue of the potential discrimination…”

“Last week, as we were looking at potential amendments for this legislation, the issue of the potential discrimination that might exist regarding payments from the Federal Government to medical hospitals and to individual residents in training, loans, and other Federal assistance that is available for these individuals and these institutions, was threatened by potential loss of accreditation to these institutions as a result of the Accrediting Council on Graduate Medical Education's change in their requirements for accreditation to mandate the training in abortion techniques. Previously, this had been done on a voluntary basis. Many hospitals, for a number of reasons, whether they are religious reasons, moral reasons or just purely decisions on the basis of the board of directors or governors of these institutions, determined that they would not have a mandatory program of abortion training. Voluntary programs existed. Those who sought that training had access and could receive that training, but it was not mandated. The change in regulations on the part of the Accrediting Council on Graduate Medical Education threatened to withdraw accreditation from many of these institutions unless they opted out under a so-called conscience or moral clause.”