Health Care Reform 2009-2010:
Breaking News & Helpful Resources 

 All columns & reflections by Archbishop Chaput (click here)

Health Care Reform Website by U.S. Bishops (click here)

Colorado Catholic Conference Action Alerts (click here)

Abortion returns to the Health Care Reform Debate
July 23, 2010 - Richard Doerflinger, pro-life chair for the U.S. Bishops, details a recent victory for the pro-life movement within the health care debate. He urges Catholics to join together in the latest legislative efforts meant to close loopholes for federally-funded abortions once and for all. Read more.

U.S. Bishops urge Congress to support bill to remedy abortion, conscience flaws in Health Care Reform law
May 25, 2010 - The U.S. Catholic Bishops (USCCB) urge bipartisan support of H.R. 5111, a new bill sponsored by Reps. Joseph Pitts (R-PA) and Dan Lipinski (D-IL). They insist that this bill would remedy the tragic abortion and conscience flaws in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), thus bringing it "into line with policies...that have long prevailed in other federal health programs.” Read the bishops' full statement.

U.S. Bishops note the way forward with health care, clarify misconceptions
May 25, 2010 - In a statement issued Friday, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) aimed "to set the record straight on some important issues raised during and after" debate over health care reform legislation. Click here to read.

Archbishop Chaput lists lessons learned from passage of bad health-care bill
March 22, 2010 - In his weekly column, Archbishop Chaput points out that the health-care legislation passed by the House on March 21 is still seriously flawed. His column lists several lessons learned from the past week and months of national deliberation on health-care legislation.  (Read full text of column)

Archbishop Chaput clarifies competing "Catholic" messages about current health care bill; insists bill remains gravely flawed
March 19, 2010 - In a column published today by First Things, Archbishop Chaput critically evaluates the seriously misleading signals put forth by so-called "Catholic" advocacy groups about the Senate's pending health care bill. He stresses, once again, that it remains gravely flawed, and that all Catholics should oppose it until it is appropriately revised. (Read full text)

Bishops say don't be confused by misleading messages: Senate health care bill remains fatally flawed
March 17, 2010 - Congressional leaders and the White House have brought heavy pressure on pro-life Democratic members of Congress to support a fatally flawed Senate version of health care reform. Groups like Network and the Catholic Health Association have spread seriously misleading signals about the Senate bill. The U.S. Catholic bishops stress that the Senate bill remains gravely defective and should be opposed if it isn’t revised. (Read more)

President of U.S. Bishops releases statement regarding health care
March 16, 2010 - Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, finds current Senate health care bill "deeply disturbing." Click here to read his full statement. Contact legislators at www.usccb.org/action.

Archbishop says Senate healthcare bill is gravely flawed
March 15, 2010 - The Senate version of health-care reform does not have the support of the U.S. Catholic bishops. Archbishop Chaput wrote in his March 14 column, "the Senate bill remains gravely flawed.  It does not meet minimum moral standards in at least three important areas: the exclusion of abortion funding and services; adequate conscience protections for health-care professionals and institutions; and the inclusion of immigrants." (Read more)

Despite changed political circle, health care still needed
Jan. 29, 2010 - The U.S. bishops insist that despite a new political climate, health care reform is still needed. They continue to urge Congress for health care reform that is accessible to everyone, protects life at all stages and protects the conscience rights of health-care providers. Click here to read their latest letter to Congress, which spelled out continued concerns with presently proposed legislation. (read more)

Action Alert urges continued contact with Congress about health care reform
January 11, 2010 - Read the latest Action Alert by the Colorado Catholic Conference regarding the pending health care reform legislation. The U.S. Catholic Bishops continue to express concerns over the bill. Read their latest letter, released Dec. 22, by clicking here. Click here to read their latest press release. (Click here for more on the health care debate from the Catholic perspective)

Health Reform Bill needs more work despite new language
Jan. 1, 2010 - The U.S. Catholic Bishops continue to express concerns over the pending health care legislation. Click here to read their latest letter, released Dec. 22, by clicking here. Click here to read their latest press release. (Click here for more on the health care debate from the Catholic perspective) 

Bishops urge alignment of current health care reform with current abortion funding laws, support of Menendez Amendment
Dec. 16, 2009 -The US Bishops are urging Catholics to ask their Senators to maintain the long-standing federal prohibition on federal funds for abortion and to safeguard conscience rights of health care providers. Click here to review a three-way comparision of current law, the Stupak Amendment and the tabled Nelson-Hatch-Casey Amendment, all charged with prohibiting federal funds for abortion.  Read the full action alert by clicking here.

Senate's vote to kill Nelson-Hatch-Casey Amendment causes grave concern
Dec. 9, 2009 - "The Senate vote to table the Nelson-Hatch-Casey amendment is a grave mistake and a serious blow to genuine health care reform,” said Cardinal Francis George, President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. The U.S. Bishops urge the faithful to express opposition to the bill in its current form. (Read more)

URGENT ACTION ALERT: Bishops urge support of Nelson-Hatch-Casey Amendment
Dec. 8, 2009 - Senators Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Ben Nelson (D-NE) and Robert Casey (D-PA) have submitted an amendment that would prevent the Senate version of the health care bill from mandating abortion coverage or providing federal funds for coverage of abortions. The Nelson-Hatch-Casey Amendment is scheduled for a vote this week. Archbishop Chaput and Bishop Conley strongly urge the faithful to contact their senators today in support of this amendment. (Read more)

Pursuing morally sound health care reform despite angry attacks
Nov. 18, 2009 - Archbishop Chaput's Nov. 18 newspaper column encourages Catholics to continue pursuing morally sound health care legislation, even in the face of bigotry and ugly threats. (Click to read full text) 

What does the Stupak Amendment really do?
Nov. 16, 2009 - In answer to misinformation about the House-approved amendment to keep abortion funding out of the House version of the health-care bill, the U.S. bishops’ issued responses to Frequently Asked Questions on the Stupak Amendment. Click here to read the FAQs sheet.

Archbishop Chaput calls on President to keep his promise on health care reform and abortion; US bishops urge Catholics to contact Congress now
Arzobispo Chaput pide al Presidente cumplir su promesa sobre la reforma de salud y el aborto (Leer en español)

Nov. 2, 2009 - As Congress prepares to vote, Archbishop Chaput outlines in his Nov. 2 column the dangers of the current healthcare reform bills and urges Catholics to contact Congress (www.usccb.org/action) and demand that current health-care proposals be changed to respect all human life - including the unborn, the elderly and the immigrant.  Archbishop reminds Catholics that President Obama promised a joint session of Congress that his health-care plan would not include or provide public monies for abortion. Now, the Archbishop urges Catholics to hold the President and Congress to that promise. (Read more)

Catholic News Agency interviews Denver's Auxiliary Bishop about health care proposals
El Obispo Auxiliar de Denver, Mons. James Conley, señaló la urgente necesidad de la acción (Leer en español)

Nov. 2, 2009 - Stressing that “there is very little time to act,” Denver's Auxiliary Bishop James Conley told Catholic News Agency (CNA) in an exclusive interview on Monday that now is the time for President Obama to prove his critics wrong and show them that he really meant it when he said abortions would not be funded in the health care reform bill. (Read more)

Bishops urge action & prayer as health care vote approaches
Oct. 30, 2009 - Tom Grenchik, executive director of Pro-Life activities at the national level, writes: "Our nation is at a crossroads. Policies adopted in health care reform will have an impact for good or ill for years to come." His column offers Catholics specific direction on how to take action at the Congressional level. Most importantly, he urges Catholics towards heartfelt prayer as our nation's leaders prepare for this historical vote. (read full column here). 

Archbishop Chaput, US Bishops, Colorado Conference all weigh in on national health care plan
Oct. 30, 2009 - Archbishop Chaput joins the U.S. Bishops along with the Colorado Catholic Conference in voicing serious, urgent concerns regarding the health care reform bills, as currently drafted. Continue reading below for complete details.

U.S. Bishops launch health care reform Web page
September 2009 - The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) launched a Web page promoting its support of “truly universal health policy with respect for human life and dignity.” The page, www.usccb.org/healthcare, includes letters from bishops to Congress, videos, facts and statistics, frequently asked questions, and links for contacting members of Congress.