WASHINGTON—After the U.S. House of Representatives
withdrew the American Health Care Act (AHCA) on March 24 2017, Cardinal Timothy
M. Dolan of New York, Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, and Bishop Frank
J. Dewane of Venice, Florida urged members of Congress to “seize this moment to
create a new spirit of bipartisanship” and make necessary reforms on access,
affordability, life and conscience.

In a March 30 letter to Congress, the U.S. Conference of
Catholic Bishops chairmen noted that the AHCA “contained serious deficiencies,
particularly in its changes to Medicaid, that would have impacted the poor and
others most in need in unacceptable ways,” but emphasized that withdrawal of
the bill “must not end our nation’s efforts to improve health care.”

Cardinal
Dolan is chairman of the USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities, Archbishop
Lori chairs the USCCB Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty, and Bishop Dewane
heads the USCCB Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development.

“[T]he AHCA did provide critical life protections for the
unborn,” the Bishops said. “By
restricting federal funding for abortion, its providers, and the purchase of
plans that cover it, the bill would have finally resolved a grave moral failing
rooted within the very structure of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).” The need for conscience protections for those
who participate in the delivery or coverage of health care services, problems
like rising costs and premiums, as well as impediments to immigrant access remain
to be addressed, according to the chairmen.

“Lawmakers still have a duty to confront these
significant challenges. While a comprehensive approach is preferable, some of
the problems can be fixed with more narrow reforms, and in a bipartisan
way. Congress can pass the Conscience
Protection Act, extend full ‘Hyde Amendment’ protections to the ACA, and enact
other targeted laws that begin to remove current and impending health care
barriers, if a more extensive effort is not possible,” the letter urges.

The full letter to Congress can be found at: www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/human-life-and-dignity/health-care/joint-letter-to-congress-re-health-care-2017-03-30.cfm.

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Keywords: U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, USCCB,
Bishop Frank J. Dewane, Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, Archbishop William E. Lori
of Baltimore, Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, American
Health Care Act (AHCA), respect for life, human dignity, health care,
affordability, abortion, poverty

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MEDIA CONTACT:
Norma Montenegro Flynn
202-541-3200

Source:: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops