On May 17, 2019, the Christ Medicus Foundation released the following statement regarding HR 5 the “Equality Act”
May 17, 2019
During this 116th Congressional Session, certain Members of Congress introduced HR 5, known as the “Equality Act” which would, among other provisions, amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to prohibit discrimination on the basis of “sexual orientation” and “gender identity.” Michael Vacca, J.D., of the Christ Medicus Foundation, made the following statement today regarding the House of Representatives’ consideration of HR 5:
“Each individual possesses inherent dignity and is undeniably deserving of love because every human person is made in the image and likeness of God. Each person’s inalienable natural rights must always be protected, and no person should ever be victimized by unjust discrimination. Our federal civil rights laws were passed to uphold our natural rights. When considering legislation that pertains to fundamental truths about the human person—for example the objective and innate differences between men and women—such legislation must be consistent with science, biology, and natural law. Unfortunately, HR 5 makes fundamentally flawed assumptions about the human person and those false assumptions undermine the very civil and human rights the bill erroneously claims to protect.
“The proposed Equality Act fails to recognize or utilize the natural law upon which all human and civil rights are based, undermining the foundation of our federal civil rights laws. Rather than improving our nation’s civil rights laws this legislation actually will undermine two fundamental civil rights: the constitutional right to religious freedom and the right to freedom of conscience.
“In failing to protect religious freedom and the right of conscience, HR 5 threatens faith-based medical and human service providers – most especially those who help persons who are same sex attracted to live faithful Catholic lives or those organizations whose pro-life missions direct them to serve pregnant women in crisis.
“Lastly, at its core, HR 5 seeks to erroneously redefine the biologically and medically based truths of sex and human identity.
“The Christ Medicus Foundation urges Congress to oppose HR 5, the ‘Equality Act.’ Our country must continue to protect the human dignity and civil rights of all people but it must also be done consistent with natural law and without undermining the foundations of our constitutional rights.
“We urge all people of good will to contact your Federal Representatives and Senators and ask them to OPPOSE HR 5 – Equality Act.”
CONTACT:
Becky Escher, Marketing and Communications Manager
Christ Medicus Foundation
(817) 371-1979; [email protected]
About the Christ Medicus Foundation: The Christ Medicus Foundation is a 501(c)3 Catholic nonprofit organization whose mission is to share Jesus Christ’s healing love in health care, to mobilize the Catholic health care movement to protect life, the poor and vulnerable, and religious freedom, and to work for a person-centered health care system. Since 1997, the Christ Medicus Foundation has worked to accomplish this mission through public policy, public education, and Catholic health care options, while empowering Christ-centered Catholic health care providers.
