Joint Statement Regarding District of ColumbiaReproductive Health Non-Discrimination Amendment Act
The undersigned are pro-life employers in the District of Columbia.We thank those Members of Congress who supported H.J. es. !"# which would ha$e pre$ented the %eproducti$e Health &on-Discrimination 'mendment 'ct( from going into effect. That the House of epresentati$es took the e)traordinary step of formally disappro$ing this bill demonstrates *ust how unprecedented and illegal H&D' is. We will continue to resist# and encourage Congress to address# the District+s egregious $iolation of the ,irst 'mendment and federal law.H&D' prohibits employers in the District# including nonsectarian pro-life and religious organiations# from %discriminating( on the basis of %decisions( reached by employees related to%reproducti$e health( matters# including the taking of innocent human life by abortion. The bill+s proponents ne$er identified a single actual local e)ample of the hypotheticals they used to *ustifythis law to the public. H&D'+s true purpose is not to sol$e any real problem but to attack the many pro-life and religious organiations that make D.C. their home.H&D' is aimed suarely at the freedom of our organiations to draw our workforces from among those who share our foundational commitment to the sanctity of human life. The District Council has utterly failed to demonstrate why our organiations must be punished for hiring employees who can effecti$ely ad$ance our organiational missions through both their words and deeds.H&D' is also aimed suarely at our freedom to purchase and pro$ide employee health plans that comport with our pro-life beliefs. The $ery purpose of this bill as e)pressed by its sponsor at the first hearing last June was to reuire religious employers to pro$ide insurance co$erage of all %reproducti$e health( decisions to their employees# including abortion. The District now claims to ha$e abandoned this purpose. /ut despite its promises# the District has only temporarily suspended its pursuit of this ob*ecti$e through H&D'. We will hold the District to its promise to permanently abandon this goal through further legislation.We are nonsectarian pro-life organiations and religious ministries that make the nation+s capital our home. Despite the enactment of this un*ust law# we will continue to hire employees who share our commitment to the dignity of e$ery member of the human family. We will not abandon the purpose of our organiations in order to comply with this illegal and un*ust law. We will $igorously resist any effort under H&D' to $iolate our constitutionally protected fundamental rights. 0s0 M. Casey Matto) M. Casey Matto)1enior Counsel'lliance Defending ,reedom0s0 ussell Moore Dr. ussell Moore2resident1outhern /aptist 3thics 4 eligious 5iberty Commission
0s0 Charmaine 6oest Charmaine 6oest# 2h.D. 2resident 4 C37 'mericans 8nited for 5ife and 'mericans 8nited for 5ife 'ction 0s0 2enny &ance 2enny &ance2resident 4 C37Concerned Women for 'merica0s0 Jeanne Monahan Jeanne Monahan2residentMarch for 5ife0s0 Mar*orie Dannenfelser Mar*orie Dannenfelser 2resident1usan /. 'nthony 5ist