Congress Read the Bill

Since president Obama took office Congress has been on a break neck pace to pass legislation. Too much of it has been legislation which they admit they have not even read. Some of it has not even been written at the time it was approved.

Obama promised us transparency. He has given us none. Is it too much to ask our Congress to read the bill before they pass it? No, of course not.

In that vein a petition has been created in support of the bill that would require that a bill be posted for 72 hours before it can be voted on.

Watch Campbell Brown’s endorsement.

Sign the Read the Bill Petition.

Lord Moncton: Obama To Cede American Sovereignty

I dislike alarmists, but if Lord Moncton is correct we are headed not only toward political collapse and the One World government, but the end of days as predicted in the Bible.

This treaty should require congressional ratification and I will keep you updated on what you can do to voice your concerns.

Petition Notre Dame to Remain Pro-life

Notre Dame is one of the premier Catholic universities in America and the world. The Catholic church’s official position is profoundly pro-life. Yet Notre Dame has again decided it prefers prestige over principle. It has extended an invitation to president Barack Obama to speak at it commencement and to offer him honorary doctorate degrees. President Obama has accepted and will be delivering the commencement address in Notre Dame’s 164th graduation on May 17, 2009.

President Obama has sparked a nationwide fury in a church that is taking it’s pro-life mandate more seriously with each passing day. Some students vow to recite the rosary during the president’s speech. Others vow to boycott their own graduation all together.

And now we have an opportunity to support our brothers and sisters in their stand for life. We can join with hundreds of thousands already standing up and sign the petition to tell the university president that his actions are outrageous and scandalous.

The official petition states:

Dear Father Jenkins:

It has come to our attention that the University of Notre Dame will honor President Barack Obama as its commencement speaker on May 17.

It is an outrage and a scandal that “Our Lady’s University,” one of the premier Catholic universities in the United States, would bestow such an honor on President Obama given his clear support for policies and laws that directly contradict fundamental Catholic teachings on life and marriage.

This nation has many thousands of accomplished leaders in the Catholic Church, in business, in law, in education, in politics, in medicine, in social services, and in many other fields who would be far more appropriate choices to receive such an honor from the University of Notre Dame.

Instead Notre Dame has chosen prestige over principles, popularity over morality. Whatever may be President Obama’s admirable qualities, this honor comes on the heels of some of the most anti-life actions of any American president, including expanding federal funding for abortions and inviting taxpayer-funded research on stem cells from human embryos.

The honor also comes amid great concern among Catholics nationwide about President Obama’s future impact on American society, the family, and the Catholic Church on issues such as traditional marriage, conscience protections for Catholic doctors and nurses, and expansion of abortion “rights.”

This honor is clearly a direct violation of the U.S. bishops’ 2004 mandate in “Catholics in Political Life”: “The Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions.”

We prayerfully implore you to halt this travesty immediately. We do so with the hope that Catholics nationwide will likewise call on you to uphold the sacred mission of your Catholic university. May God grant you the courage and wisdom to do what is right.

If the servers are overloaded or you wish to write you own words you can email Father Jenkins directly at [email protected], call him at 574.631.5000, fax him at 574.631.2770 or write him at 317 Main Building, Notre Dame, IN 46556

Obama Proposes Recission of Conscience Clause

On January 20, 2009 President Bush administration enacted rules that would plug holes in the federal Conscience Clause. The Conscience Clause permits doctors to refuse to provide abortions if they are morally opposed to them. The full text of the present federal law can be found at the end of this post.

President Bush extended the conscience clause to all workers in health-care settings — from doctors to janitors — who can now refuse to provide services, information or advice to patients on subjects such as contraception, family planning, blood transfusions and even vaccine counseling if they are morally against it. Health and Human Service (HHS) says they want to rescind the rule primarily to require providers to give information on family planning and contraception.

HHS rescission would apply only to the portions of the rule put in place by President Bush as he was leaving office. The main conscience clause rule can only be overturned by Congress.

Right now President Obama’s decision is up for its required public comment period. This happens with changes in administrative rules and provides a period where concerned citizens can officially tell the government their opinion. You can make your official comment here Click on the bubble beside add comments.

Please remember to be respectful as your comments become an official part of the legislative history of our nation. Here are some ideas of what you can say:

1. The government should not be interfering in the doctor patient relationship by regulating what doctors must say.

2. No person should be required to choose between their profession and their conscience or religious beleifs.

3. Patients can get a second opinion if they do not like what their doctor tells them. There are plenty of places to get this advice and plenty of doctors to provide it. It is even publicly available through libraries and the internet.

4. Patients should have the right to go to and have their family go to health providers that align with their moral and religious beliefs and should not have to listen to advice they do not want. There is presently no opt-out provision so a doctor would be required to speak with your 14 year old daughter about family planning options.

Please comment with other thoughts you have or with your full comment.

CONSCIENCE CLAUSE
TITLE 42 > CHAPTER 6A > SUBCHAPTER VIII > § 300a–7Prev | Next § 300a–7. Sterilization or abortion
How Current is This? (a) Omitted
(b) Prohibition of public officials and public authorities from imposition of certain requirements contrary to religious beliefs or moral convictions
The receipt of any grant, contract, loan, or loan guarantee under the Public Health Service Act [42 U.S.C. 201 et seq.], the Community Mental Health Centers Act [42 U.S.C. 2689 et seq.], or the Developmental Disabilities Services and Facilities Construction Act [42 U.S.C. 6000 et seq.] by any individual or entity does not authorize any court or any public official or other public authority to require—
(1) such individual to perform or assist in the performance of any sterilization procedure or abortion if his performance or assistance in the performance of such procedure or abortion would be contrary to his religious beliefs or moral convictions; or
(2) such entity to—
(A) make its facilities available for the performance of any sterilization procedure or abortion if the performance of such procedure or abortion in such facilities is prohibited by the entity on the basis of religious beliefs or moral convictions, or
(B) provide any personnel for the performance or assistance in the performance of any sterilization procedure or abortion if the performance or assistance in the performance of such procedures or abortion by such personnel would be contrary to the religious beliefs or moral convictions of such personnel.
(c) Discrimination prohibition
(1) No entity which receives a grant, contract, loan, or loan guarantee under the Public Health Service Act [42 U.S.C. 201 et seq.], the Community Mental Health Centers Act [42 U.S.C. 2689 et seq.], or the Developmental Disabilities Services and Facilities Construction Act [42 U.S.C. 6000 et seq.] after June 18, 1973, may—
(A) discriminate in the employment, promotion, or termination of employment of any physician or other health care personnel, or
(B) discriminate in the extension of staff or other privileges to any physician or other health care personnel,
because he performed or assisted in the performance of a lawful sterilization procedure or abortion, because he refused to perform or assist in the performance of such a procedure or abortion on the grounds that his performance or assistance in the performance of the procedure or abortion would be contrary to his religious beliefs or moral convictions, or because of his religious beliefs or moral convictions respecting sterilization procedures or abortions.
(2) No entity which receives after July 12, 1974, a grant or contract for biomedical or behavioral research under any program administered by the Secretary of Health and Human Services may—
(A) discriminate in the employment, promotion, or termination of employment of any physician or other health care personnel, or
(B) discriminate in the extension of staff or other privileges to any physician or other health care personnel,
because he performed or assisted in the performance of any lawful health service or research activity, because he refused to perform or assist in the performance of any such service or activity on the grounds that his performance or assistance in the performance of such service or activity would be contrary to his religious beliefs or moral convictions, or because of his religious beliefs or moral convictions respecting any such service or activity.
(d) Individual rights respecting certain requirements contrary to religious beliefs or moral convictions
No individual shall be required to perform or assist in the performance of any part of a health service program or research activity funded in whole or in part under a program administered by the Secretary of Health and Human Services if his performance or assistance in the performance of such part of such program or activity would be contrary to his religious beliefs or moral convictions.
(e) Prohibition on entities receiving Federal grant, etc., from discriminating against applicants for training or study because of refusal of applicant to participate on religious or moral grounds
No entity which receives, after September 29, 1979, any grant, contract, loan, loan guarantee, or interest subsidy under the Public Health Service Act [42 U.S.C. 201 et seq.], the Community Mental Health Centers Act [42 U.S.C. 2689 et seq.], or the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 [42 U.S.C. 15001 et seq.] may deny admission or otherwise discriminate against any applicant (including applicants for internships and residencies) for training or study because of the applicant’s reluctance, or willingness, to counsel, suggest, recommend, assist, or in any way participate in the performance of abortions or sterilizations contrary to or consistent with the applicant’s religious beliefs or moral convictions.