This bill “would significantly expand federal funding of abortions and effectively discriminate against faith-based organizations seeking to be recipients of funding as childcare providers.”
For Immediate Release
(Troy, MI) November 19, 2021
Statement by Louis Brown, Esq., Executive Director of the Christ Medicus Foundation
The Christ Medicus Foundation deeply regrets the advancement of the social spending bill, the Build Back Better Act in the U.S. House today especially because it would significantly expand federal funding of abortions and effectively discriminate against faith-based organizations seeking to be recipients of funding as childcare providers. This bill threatens the lives of the unborn and undermines the civil right of religious freedom of faith-based entities to have an equal opportunity to care for the childcare needs of families. Though the legislation has some laudable goals such as paid family leave, the legislation attempts to ram through radical changes to American society.
This bill empowers spending taxpayer monies on abortions – a huge setback in a decades-long bi-partisan precedent – by failing to include language along the lines of the Hyde Amendment that would expressly prohibit public funding of abortion. The bill also discriminates against faith-based childcare organizations by prohibiting such organizations from using the funds appropriated for childcare for “buildings or facilities that are used primarily for sectarian instruction or religious worship.” This discriminatory childcare provision significantly disadvantages the ability of faith-based childcare facilities, that engage in religious instruction while also caring for children, to provide its critical and sought-after services to families in need. It also demonstrates an unfortunate government preference for secular childcare organizations.
This bill gravely harms babies in the womb and would roll back the ability of faith-based childcare organizations to participate in caring for the needs of families. Congress should seek changes in the social safety net without harming life and without undermining the ability of religious institutions to participate in the human service needs of our nation.
Along similar lines, we oppose any regulatory action by the Department of Health and Human Services that infringes on conscience and religious freedom rights and that would push pro-life and faith-based entities out of health care. We are appalled by reports that HHS is considering compelling medical professionals and employer insurance plans to provide and pay for abortions and other unethical and harmful procedures. Such action would violate federal law and the civil right of religious freedom guaranteed under the First Amendment.
We hope Congress and HHS will seek legislative and regulatory avenues that justly strengthen the social safety net without harming life, dignity, and basic civil rights.
PRESS CONTACT: Kathy Dempsey for Christ Medicus Foundation
202-359-4379; [email protected]