USCCB Chairman Calls on Congress to Preserve Gains in Healthcare Coverage While Also Emphasizing the Need to Protect Human Life, Conscience Rights and the Poor

WASHINGTON—As Congress discusses a repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act, the Chair of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, Bishop Frank J. Dewane of Venice, is urging members of the House and Senate to provide a replacement plan concurrently so that millions of Americans will continue to have access to vital health care.

In a letter sent to members of the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate on January 18, 2017, Bishop Dewane wrote that repealing the ACA should not be undertaken without simultaneous passage of a replacement plan that will continue healthcare access for those who rely on it for their well-being. At the same time, the letter also underscores the importance of creating a replacement plan that will safeguard human life from conception to natural death and also protect conscience rights and adequate healthcare services for the poor including healthcare for immigrants.  

The full text of the letter sent to the U.S. Senate/U.S. House of Representatives is available at: www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/human-life-and-dignity/health-care/upload/letter-to-congress-from-bishop-dewane-re-aca-2017-01-18.pdf

---
Keywords: U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, USCCB, Bishop Frank Dewane, Affordable Care Act, healthcare coverage, repeal and replace, U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. Senate, Domestic Justice, Human Development, inherent dignity, human life, conscience rights, medical care.
# # #

MEDIA CONTACT
Judy Keane
O: 202-541-3200