1. Conscience rights

2. Faith-based health care Each year in the U.S., one in six patients--5.5 million patients-- are cared for in a Catholic hospital.

3. Faith-based health care Protestant hospitals: Baptist, Adventist Faith-based clinics

4. Healthcare Access Crisis Medically Underserved Area Medically Underserved Population

5. Moral and ethical principles

6. Faith-based commitments

7. Polling 1.National survey American public – 39% Democrat – 33% Republican – 22% Independent 2.National survey 2,300 faith-based healthcare professionals – Catholic – Protestant

8. Poll released National Press Club

9. Professional poll 95% of faith-based physicians agreed, "I would rather stop practicing medicine altogether than be forced to violate my conscience." 32% of faith-based healthcare professionals report having "been pressured to refer a patient for a procedure to which [they] had moral, ethical, or religious objections." 20% of faith-based medical students say they are "not pursuing a career in Obstetrics or Gynecology" because of perceived discrimination and coercion in that field.

10. Personal stories Trevor Kitchens: "I am a first year medical student in the beginning stages of deciding which specialty I would like to pursue. I am currently very interested in OB/GYN, but I am afraid of the relationship between this field and abortion. “My concern is that I will start a residence and would subsequently be required at some point to give a patient the option of abortion, which I would refuse. My fear is that taking this stand would cost me my residence position…

11. Personal stories "Now, if that is what it comes down to, I will be glad to take the stand for Jesus Christ and give up my position. However, I would really like to be able to avoid this situation and complete my residence so that I could go on and serve the Lord in that field.”

12. Losing faith-based health care

13. Public poll 88% : “very” or “somewhat” important to them that they share a similar set of morals as their doctors. 87%: important to “make sure that healthcare professionals in America are not forced to participate in procedures and practices to which they have moral objections.”

14. Public poll 2:1 margin support conscience protections 2:1 margin less likely to vote for Member who supported eliminating protections

15. Protecting conscience rights Protects patients

16. www.cmda.org www.Freedom2Care.org