Today, U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-03) voted in support of the Conscience Protection Act, to protect health-care providers from being forced by the government into providing abortions.

“I’m proud to stand up for the rights of pro-life health-care professionals by supporting this bill,” Luetkemeyer said. “With passage of this bill, two important amendments are codified into law which will prohibit taxpayer dollars from being used for abortions and protect employees of health plans that decline to be involved in the provision of abortions. Simply put, the government should never force health-care professionals to violate their consciences by requiring them to participate in abortions.”

Under current federal law, conscientious objections to abortions can only be addressed through complaints submitted to the Office for Civil Rights at the Department of Health and Human Services. However, the Office has refused to uphold the law.

Luetkemeyer is a cosponsor of this legislation.