Stop Abortion Funding in Health Care Reform! Protect Conscience Ensure Affordable Health Coverage Allow Immigrants to Purchase Private Health Insurance Current Bulletin February 21, 2010     As long-time advocates of health care reform, the U.S. Catholic Bishops continue to make the moral case that genuine health care reform must protect the life, dignity, consciences and health of all, especially the poor and vulnerable. Health care reform should not advance a pro-abortion agenda in our country.     On November 7th, the U.S. House Representatives passed major health care reform that reaffirms the essential, longstanding and widely supported policy against using federal funds for elective abortions and includes positive measures on affordability and immigrants.     On December 24th, the U.S. Senate rejected this policy and passed health care reform that requires federal funds to help subsidize and promote health plans that cover elective abortions. All purchasers of such plans will be required to pay for other people’s abortions through a separate payment solely to pay for abortion.     Outside the abortion context, neither bill has adequate conscience protection for health care providers, plans or employers.     These two bills must now be combined into one bill that both the House and Senate will vote on in final form. Provisions against abortion funding and in favor of conscience protection, affordability, and immigrants’ access to health care must be part of a fair and just health care reform bill, or the final bill must be opposed.     ACTION:     Contact your Representative and Senators today by e-mail, phone or FAX. To send a pre-written, instant e-mail to Congress, go to www.usccb.org/action Call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at 202.224.3121, or call your Members’ local offices. Contact info can be found on members’ websites at www.house.gov & www.senate.gov To stay informed about public issues of concern to NH–Catholics, visit: www.catholicnh.org/fcnews