Congress The American Health Care Act the US House of Representatives passed by a four-vote margin has “major defects” according to the chairman of the US bishops’ Committee on Domestic Justice and Social Development.
Venice, Florida’s Bishop Frank Dewane said it was “deeply disappointing that the voices of those who will be most severely impacted were not heeded”, warning that “vulnerable people must not be left in poor and worsening circumstances as Congress attempts to fix the current and impending problems with the Affordable Care Act”.
He called on the Senate, where the Republican party has a majority of just two and the bill faces an uphill battle, to act decisively either to begin reform efforts afresh, or remove its aspects that will affect people on low incomes while adding vital conscience protections.
“Our health care policy must honour all human life and dignity from conception to natural death, as well as defend the sincerely held moral and religious beliefs of those who have any role in the health care system,” he said.