July 30, 2021

After Thursday’s  (July 29) action by the U.S. House of Representatives to vote in favor of H.R. 4502, Bishop Knestout has issued the following statement joining the USCCB chairman(s) of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee for Religious Liberty and Committee for Pro-Life Activities:

“H.R. 4502, appropriations legislation passed by the U.S. House of Representatives, represents an attack on the unborn as it excludes the protections the Hyde Amendment has provided for the last 46 years. If this bill were to become law, not only would taxpayers be forced to pay for elective abortions, but it would force health care providers to refer for and perform abortions against deeply-held beliefs that are rooted in their faith. Further, employers and insurers will be required to pay for abortions.

“I ask all people who are guided by the Gospel of Jesus Christ — the Gospel of Life! — to give witness to their faith and to contact our U.S. senators, asking them to vote against the Senate version of this appropriations bill if it does not include protections for the unborn and for health care professionals provided by the Hyde Amendment and the Weldon Amendment, which prohibits states that receive federal funds from discriminating against health plans based on their decision not to cover or pay for abortions.”

The Virginia Catholic Conference (VCC) shares important information about this action and other items. To take action, join the VCC network and sign the petition to let your voice be heard. There are many ways the Catholic Diocese of Richmond offers resources to accompany women when faced with unplanned pregnancies. Most recently, the Catholic Virginian featured the following article aimed at long-term help for unplanned pregnancies.

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