The New Health Dialogue

Michigan Democratic Rep. Bart Stupak says it's been "living hell" leading the fight against Senate abortion language. Wonder how he feels now that he's lost the nuns.

The Catholic nuns, in a rare split with the bishops, believe the Senate language does the job -- and they don't want the abortion fight to hold up health reform that would cover 32 million Americans and crack down on insurance company abuses. Just a few days after the Catholic Health Association announced its support of the Senate health bill, a coalition of 59,000 Catholic nuns sent a letter to lawmakers encouraging them to pass the Senate health care bill. The letter was signed by the leaders of more than 50 Catholic women's orders and organizations.

“While it is an imperfect measure, it is a crucial next step in realizing health care for all,” the letter reads. “And despite false claims to the contrary, the Senate bill will not provide taxpayer funding for elective abortions. It will uphold longstanding conscience protections and it will make historic new investments -- $250 million -- in support of pregnant women. This is the REAL pro-life stance, and we as Catholics are all for it.” (Read the full text below.)

“We as sisters focus on the needs of people,” said Sister Simone Campbell, a spokeswoman for the group. “When people are suffering, we respond.”

Retired Bishop John E. McCarthy of Austin agrees. He told the Associated Press on Wednesday that while he strongly opposes abortion, he is confident that the Senate bill would prevent taxpayer dollars from funding them. The church has been fighting for universal coverage for more than 40 years, and the President's bill is as close as the country has ever been to its realization. Lawmakers can improve on the legislation later, he says, "but let's not kill it at this crucial moment."

The President deems this "a good sign." The support will hopefully provide the 12 wavering pro-life Democrats with some conciliation. As E.J. Dionne Jr. argued this morning in a Washington Post column, the bishops' opposition to the Senate bill could be deterimental to the reform effort. But fortunately, he explained, "major Catholic leaders -- most of them women in religious orders -- have picked up the flag of social justice ...  I suspect that many bishops would be quietly grateful. In their hearts, they know the nuns are right."

Full text:

Dear Members of Congress:

We write to urge you to cast a life-affirming "yes" vote when the Senate health care bill (H.R. 3590) comes to the floor of the House for a vote as early as this week. We join the Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA), which represents 1,200 Catholic sponsors, systems, facilities and related organizations, in saying: the time is now for health reform AND the Senate bill is a good way forward.

As the heads of major Catholic women's religious order in the United States, we represent 59,000 Catholic Sisters in the United States who respond to needs of people in many ways. Among our other ministries we are responsible for running many of our nation's hospital systems as well as free clinics throughout the country.

We have witnessed firsthand the impact of our national health care crisis, particularly its impact on women, children and people who are poor. We see the toll on families who have delayed seeking care due to a lack of health insurance coverage or lack of funds with which to pay high deductibles and co-pays. We have counseled and prayed with men, women and children who have been denied health care coverage by insurance companies. We have witnessed early and avoidable deaths because of delayed medical treatment.

The health care bill that has been passed by the Senate and that will be voted on by the House will expand coverage to over 30 million uninsured Americans. While it is an imperfect measure, it is a crucial next step in realizing health care for all. It will invest in preventative care. It will bar insurers from denying coverage based on pre-existing conditions. It will make crucial investments in community health centers that largely serve poor women and children. And despite false claims to the contrary, the Senate bill will not provide taxpayer funding for elective abortions. It will uphold longstanding conscience protections and it will make historic new investments - $250 million - in support of pregnant women. This is the REAL pro-life stance, and we as Catholics are all for it.

Congress must act. We are asking every member of our community to contact their congressional representatives this week. In this Lenten time, we have launched nationwide prayer vigils for health care reform. We are praying for those who currently lack health care. We are praying for the nearly 45,000 who will lose their lives this year if Congress fails to act. We are also praying for you and your fellow Members of Congress as you complete your work in the coming days. For us, this health care reform is a faith mandate for life and dignity of all of our people.

We urge you to vote "yes" for life by voting yes for health care reform in H.R. 3590.