Letter on FOCA
At this time of serious national challenges, Americans should unite to serve the good of all, born and unborn. The Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA), the most radical and divisive pro-abortion bill ever introduced in Congress, would create a ‘fundamental right’ to abortion that government could not limit but would have to support.
That is the text of the postcards addressed to our Senators and Representatives, which the USCCB has developed for a nationwide postcard campaign to inform Congress and educate the public about this threat to the common good. For the first time in our history, abortion would become an ‘entitlement’ the government must fund and promote. Common-sense and widely-supported laws at federal and state levels would be eliminated. Among the hard-fought restrictions on abortion that would be put at risk are those that mandate parental involvement in a minor’s abortion, provide for informed consent and waiting periods, regulate the safety of conditions at facilities that perform abortions, and prevent late-term abortions that border on infanticide.
Equally troubling is the chilling effect that this legislation would have on the conscience rights of physicians, nurses and hospitals that oppose abortion on religious, moral or ethical grounds. Health care providers must be free to serve the public without violating their deeply held moral and religious convictions on the sanctity of human life. Conscience rights would be trumped by a woman’s right to unimpeded access to abortion, which would be protected as a positive right rather than an evil that society strives to eliminate. Making abortion rare would give way to actually promoting and encouraging it at home and abroad through government subsidies using taxpayer dollars.
For these reasons, there is some urgency to letting the new Congress and Administration know that aggressively pro-abortion policies like FOCA will alienate those many Americans who want to see the number of abortions decrease not increase. I ask that the FOCA postcard and educational campaign that is scheduled for the later part of January be embraced by our parishes and schools. This should not be a partisan issue directed for or against a political party. As Catholics we are motivated by the social principles of our faith, no matter our political preference, to speak out against this unjust and hurtful legislation. Our clear voices are needed now more that ever. A united response to this threat has been laid before us in the nationwide Bishops’ FOCA Campaign. Please pray for an end to abortion and work towards that goal.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Most Reverend George Niederauer
Archbishop of San Francisco
Contact your Senators:
Barbara Boxer
Washington, D.C.
112 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: (202) 224-3553
Fax: (202) 224-0454
San Francisco
1700 Montgomery St., Suite 240
San Francisco, CA 94111
Phone: (415) 403-0100
Fax: (202) 224-0454
Dianne Feinstein
Washington, D.C.
331 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: (202) 224-3841
Fax: (202) 228-3954
San Francisco
One Post Street, Suite 2450
San Francisco, CA 94104
Main: (415) 393-0707
Fax: (415) 393-0710
