The Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops (TCCB) is celebrating a recent decision by the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals to uphold the permanent injunction of a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) guidance that would have required emergency room physicians to provide abortions. The court's decision, which came in the case of State of Texas v. Becerra, affirms that this attempt to require abortions violates both the Texas Human Life Protection Act and the principles of the Catholic Ethical and Religious Directives for Healthcare.
In an amicus brief submitted by the Texas bishops and the members of the Catholic Healthcare Leadership Alliance, they stated, "To assert that abortion - which is the intentional termination of an unborn child's life - is permitted, or even required, under EMTALA is contrary to the unambiguous text and intent of the statute."
The bishops are gratified that the court upheld the clear text of the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA), which explicitly and intentionally protects unborn human life. They believe that the court's decision is in line with the longstanding commitment of Catholic hospitals, including those in Texas, to provide compassionate care for women and babies, both born and unborn, without performing elective abortions and in full compliance with EMTALA.
Despite the new law in Texas, Catholic hospitals have not been hindered in their ability to provide consistent care for families in accordance with the Ethical and Religious Directives approved by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops. The bishops emphasize that they will continue to accompany mothers and their children in a special way, as stated by Pope Francis in Amoris Laetitia, "Every child growing within the mother's womb is part of the eternal loving plan of God the Father: 'Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you.'"
The TCCB's celebration of the court's decision reflects their commitment to upholding the sanctity of life and protecting the rights of the unborn.
To find out more, go to this link: https://txcatholic.org/bishops-celebrate-courts-affirmation-of-emtala-protection-of-unborn/
