Members seek abortion conscience protections

Staunch pro-life House conservatives have “renewed hope” that the president will reinstate Bush-era regulations protecting the rights of doctors, nurses and other healthcare providers who choose not to give abortions.

In light of the president’s speech on the divisive topic at Notre Dame over the weekend, House GOP lawmakers James Sensenbrenner Jr. (Wis.), Chris Smith (N.J.) and John Fleming (La.) sent a letter to the White House on Tuesday praising Obama for saying that he wanted to “honor the conscience of those who disagree with abortion.”

{mosads}“We agree with you that pro-life healthcare providers should have the right to refuse to participate in procedures that they find morally reprehensible,” the lawmakers state in the letter.

Sensenbrenner explained to reporters that in March, Obama’s administration set in motion a process that would do away with “conscience protection laws” instituted under former President George W. Bush.

Under those regulations, currently being reviewed by the White House, doctors, nurses, anesthesiologists and other healthcare providers would not be able to challenge potential repercussions if they refused to perform abortions.

But the three lawmakers interpreted Obama’s pledge at the Catholic university on Sunday to mean that he would protect the right to choose, including those who choose not to perform abortions.

Smith said that he has “renewed hope, hopefully not false,” that Obama will “completely forgo the rescinding of this rule.”