As an update to Jessica’s 8/19 post on BushvChoice, we have discovered some disturbing news concerning a proposal created by anti-choicers allowing hospitals, doctors and pharmacists to refuse women of their right to abortion and birth control. Two years ago the House passed the bill, but it didn’t pass the Senate. It was reported by the Guardian Unlimited today that this time, however, the revival of the proposal has been sent to the Senate as a part of the broader appropriations bill and it will, at the least, go to a House-Senate conference committee. Sigh.

In July, Mississippi passed what they call the nation’s largest “conscience clause”, which allows all health care professionals and institutions to refuse to perform any service on religious or moral grounds. Many women have already started to travel to Alabama or Tennessee to get an abortion. “We have doctors who won't even issue birth control prescriptions,” says Nsombi Lambright of the American Civil Liberties Union's Mississippi branch. “It's not their job to impose their beliefs on others.”

So who would this effect if the Senate passes the bill? Oh, mainly just low-income women who depend on federally subsidized health care and use Roman Catholic hospitals. Hospitals would have the authority to refuse abortion even to rape victims or women with serious medical conditions. And they’re saying this bill is about morality?

Lourdes Rivera, director of the Los Angeles-based National Health Law Program, brought up some good questions. “Yes, we need to respect individual freedom of religion. But at what point does it cross the line of not providing essential medical care? At what point is it malpractice? If someone's beliefs interfere with practicing their profession, perhaps they should do something else.” Amen to that.