Mandatory Abortion Referrals.
On February 20, President Clinton signed an executive order to strip away "conscience clauses" for doctors who work with the military or federal employees. Cloaked in his announcement of a patients' "bill of rights," the President mandated that the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) and the Department of Defense lift their "gag clauses" by April 21 and September 30, respectively. The phrase "gag clauses" has long been used by the pro-abortion industry to refer to clauses which allow a doctor to follow his or her conscience when faced with moral or religious objections. In the past, objecting doctors were exempt from mandatory abortion counseling and mandatory physician-assisted suicide counseling. This new executive order appears to mandate that all military doctors and all FEHBP doctors talk about anything and everything that is available and "legal" despite their moral or religious objections. Pro-family forces will seek any legislative vehicle to reinstate the conscience clause so that the abortion president can not force his view on and against the consciences of our nation's doctors.
[Source: Family Research Council’s LEGISLATIVE HOTLINE, Friday, March 6, 1998]
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