A campaign is underway to force Catholic hospitals and other health care institutions to perform or promote abortion. The Abortion Non-Discrimination Act (ANDA) affirms the principle that no health care entity should be forced by government to perform or participate in abortion.

A 1996 law prohibits governmental discrimination against health care entities because they decline to train in, perform, or arrange for abortions. This law, however, was subjected to narrow interpretations that limited protection to the medical training context. In 2004, through passage of the Hyde/Weldon Amendment as part of the Labor/Health and Human Services Appropriations Bill, Congress corrected this problem by extending the 1996 law's protection to the full range of health care entities. ANDA will codify the Hyde/Weldon Amendment by moving the provision from annually enacted appropriations law to permanent law. It will also enhance enforceability.

Also see: Medical Training Non-Discrimination; Conscience Protection.