Background:

• The rule enforces approximately 25 provisions passed by Congress protecting longstanding conscience rights in healthcare.

• The rule replaces a 2011 rule that has proven inadequate and ensures that HHS implements the full set of tools appropriate for enforcing the conscience protections passed by Congress.

• These federal laws protect providers, individuals, and other health entities from having to provide, participate in, pay for, provide coverage of, or refer for, services such as abortion, sterilization, or assisted suicide. It also includes conscience protections with respect to advance directives.

Statement from Live Action Founder and President, Lila Rose:

“Our country has long protected the rights of conscientious objectors. It is crucial we honor and respect the fact that our citizens still think for themselves. We need more medical professionals to acknowledge the scientific reality that life begins at fertilization, and that medicine should be used to heal and not harm. We applaud President Trump and HHS Secretary Azar for this rule ensuring that pro-life professionals will not face intimidation or professional repercussions because they refuse to participate in sterilization or ending human lives through abortion or assisted suicide.”