A 1996 law prohibits governmental discrimination against health care entities because they decline to train in, perform, or arrange for abortions. This law, however, was subjected to narrow interpretations that limited protection to the medical training context. In 2004, through passage of the Hyde/Weldon Amendment as part of the Labor/Health and Human Services Appropriations Bill, Congress corrected this problem by extending the 1996 law’s protection to the full range of health care entities.
ANDA will codify the Hyde/Weldon Amendment by moving the provision from annually enacted appropriations law to permanent law. It would also ensure that victims of discrimination under that policy, and under the Church amendment of 1973, have a right of action to protect their rights in court.
Also see: Medical Training Non-Discrimination; Conscience Protection.
