Diocesan Social Action Office
Diocesan Social Action Office
November 16, 2009
Dear Friends,
 
Thank you so much for your hard work on advocating for genuine health care reform that will protect the life and dignity of all people. Because of your work, the House adopted the Stupak amendment maintaining the current laws barring federal funding for elective abortions. The House bill now maintains the federal prohibition on abortion funding; maintains conscience protections on abortion; offers adequate affordability and coverage provisions for low-income families; and protects immigrants. 

Celebrate the victory in the House and take your advocacy work to the Senate.
 
The next step in the process is for the full Senate to debate a health care
bill. The linked resources (English and Spanish bulletin inserts, pulpit
announcements with prayers, and a cover memo) have been updated by the USCCB to reflect this next step. We hope you will use them as soon as possible in your parishes.
 
 
Updated Prayers and Pulpit Announcement from USCCB (en Espaņol)

Given upcoming Senate action, the U.S. bishops have asked that the above linked UPDATED: Nationwide Bulletin Insert on Health Care Rreform be printed or hand-stuffed in every parish bulletin and/or distributed in pews or at church entrances as soon as possible.
 
You are being asked to contact both Senator George Voinovich and Senator Sherrod Brown with the message :
"Please adopt the House-approved Stupak Amendment that upholds longstanding policies against abortion funding, and please protect conscience rights in health care reform. Health care must be made more affordable and accessible to those in need, and immigrants must not lose or be denied health care coverage."
 
Or go to www.usccb.org/action for a pre-written message to send.

And do reinforce the message with your representatives. You can go to www.house.gov for the contact pages.
Thank you for all your efforts to make health care reform that respects the life and dignity of every person from conception to natural death a reality.
Sincerely,
CCHHS b/w logo

Tom Allio
Diocesan Social Action Office