Sample Letter on a Current Issue
Support Health Care Providers' Conscience Protections
Oppose President Obama's Plan to Rescind the Health Care Providers' Conscience Rule
Letter to the Department of Health and Human Services 8
(based on a message from Cardinal Francis George, President of the USCCB)

Even after April 9, 2009, it's still not to late to make a difference on this issue.

Please put the below letter in your own words or use it as is, and mail or e-mail your letter to the Department of Health and Human Services (addresses below). This letter is based on the full USCCB comments to HHS.

Also, using the below letter or the other sample letters on this issue and the other resources related to it, please put a letter in your own words (or use a sample letter as is), and mail it to your federal House representative and your two federal senators as well as President Obama. It's much better to send a form letter than not to send a letter at all. Also, let's flood the White House comments line on this issue.

Note: HHS will make available for public viewing all comments and the personal information (e.g., name and address) included in them.

Pro-life comments to the HHS might include the following:

Examples or information about medical professionals having been pressured into participating in abortions or other acts against their consciences;
How the current/final rule resolves those problems (see rule summary, see rule text, see more);
Refutations of abortion advocates' claims that the conscience rule reduces access to information and health care services, particularly by low-income women;
How the December 19, 2008 final rule provides sufficient clarity to minimize the potential for harm resulting from any ambiguity and confusion that may exist because of the rule;
Why the objectives of the conscience rule can't be accomplished only through non-regulatory means, such as outreach and education;
Other reasons that the conscience rule is necessary.

Mail (one original and two copies):
Office of Public Health and Science
Department of Health and Human Services
Attention: Rescission Proposal Comments
Hubert H Humphrey Building
200 Independence Ave SW Room 716G
Washington DC 20201

E-mail:
proposedrescission@hhs.gov
(Attachments to e-mail to HHS should be in Microsoft Word, WordPerfect, or Excel. HHS prefers Microsoft Word.)

Phone:
HHS comments line voice mail: 202-205-5445

Eighth Sample Letter to the HHS

Source:
http://www.usccb.org/comm/archives/2009/09-058.shtml (The below letter has been edited so that an individual can send it.)

[Note: HHS will make available for public viewing all comments and the personal information (e.g., name and address) included in them.]

Jane Doe
12345 Main St
Minneapolis MN 55418-3209

Date

Office of Public Health and Science
Department of Health and Human Services
Attention: Rescission Proposal Comments
Hubert H Humphrey Building
200 Independence Ave SW Room 716G
Washington DC 20201

Dear HHS:

Subject: Please Do Not Rescind the Conscience Rule

Two principles have been basic to life in our country: religious liberty and the freedom of personal conscience.

The providers' conscience protection rule is one part of the range of legal protections for health care workers -- for doctors, nurses and others -- who have objections in conscience to being involved in abortion, other killing, and other procedures that are against how they live their faith in God.

As an American citizen, I am deeply concerned that such an action on the government's part would be the first step in moving our country from democracy to despotism. Respect for personal conscience and freedom of religion, as such, ensure our basic freedom from government oppression. No government should come between an individual person and God -- that's what America is supposed to be about. This is the true common ground for us as Americans. We therefore need legal protection for freedom of conscience and of religion, including freedom for religious health care persons and institutions to be true to themselves.

Conscientious objection against many actions is a part of our life. We have a conscientious objection against war for those who cannot fight, even though it's good to defend your country. We have a conscientious objection for doctors against being involved in administering the death penalty. Why shouldn't our government and our legal system permit conscientious objection to this morally bad action, the killing of babies in their mother's womb? People understand what really happens in an abortion and in related procedures: a living member of the human family is killed -- that's what it's all about -- and no one should be forced by the government to act as though he or she were blind to this reality.

I want conscience protections to remain strongly in place. I stand for the protection of conscience, especially now, for those who provide the health care services so necessary for a good society.

Thank you for your consideration of my comments and requests.

Sincerely,

[Signature]
Jane Doe

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