Women faith leaders from a variety of traditions including Catholic, Baptist, Jewish, Lutheran, United Methodist, Presbyterian, Episcopal, and more offered enthusiastic support for the Life of the Mother Act, SB 31/HB 44. The faith leaders are all part of Texas Impact, the state’s oldest and largest interfaith advocacy network.
Bee Moorhead, Texas Impact’s Executive Director said:
“Pregnancy can be one of the most hopeful and empowering experiences of our lives—but when something goes wrong, as unfortunately sometimes happens, we must be sure every pregnant patient receives the timely, evidence-based care they need to protect their life and health. It’s simply not acceptable for women to die or suffer irreparable bodily harm because of confusion and delayed treatment.
The Life of the Mother Act will save lives, by clarifying that Texas doctors can and should always exercise their reasonable medical judgement, even when that means ending a pregnancy that is going to hurt or kill the mom.
The bill will restore trust to patient-physician communications, which is so vital to health care and indeed forms the basis of our American health care system. Moreover, the bill will remedy the chilling effect that aspects of our abortion laws have had on medical recruitment and retainment in Texas. Our state is growing, and we want to spread the word that Texas is a great place to live and practice medicine.”
Texas Impact announced that faith communities have been participating in a postcard campaign, inviting members to sign a postcard urging legislators to “fix the abortion ban.” Since January, more than 6,000 Texans have signed the cards, including constituents of every senator and 145 representatives.
The press conference streamed live and the recording is available at https://youtube.com/live/r_wEWU63L2k?feature=share
Quotes
Rev. Jody J. Harrison, Baptist Minister and retired hospital chaplain, said, “As currently written, SB#31 will restore the ability for Texas physicians to return to practice evidence-based medicine to protect the life of the mother; and for pregnant women and their families to be able to trust our medical facilities to provide lifesaving care when necessary.”
Rev. Angela Ravin-Anderson, who gives leadership to the Social Justice Ministry at Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church in Houston, said, “We are in full support of this bill. As one who has had to walk alongside women in our congregation faced with these horrific decisions of how you select the life of the mother or the child that you are carrying, we know the stress that it can bring to a family. This has got to change for the women of Texas.”
Rabbi Gail Swedroe, Associate Rabbi at Congregation Agudas Achim in Austin, said, “As someone whose religious tradition clearly states that the life of the mother takes precedence over the life of an unborn child, SB#31 restores freedom of religion for hundreds of thousands of Texans. As a clergyperson I have heard directly from those impacted by the current lack of clarity in our state’s laws – the physical and emotional pain, along with the crisis of faith that accompanies it. SB#31 matches the definition of medical emergency to existing state law. And on a personal level, as someone who was 6 weeks pregnant in March 2020, when the same forms of life-saving medicine being discussed today were considered elective due to the COVID pandemic, I have personally experienced the fear that comes with not knowing if my doctor will be allowed to fully do their job, to do everything in their power to save my life – to ensure that my then 2.5 year old would still have a mother – were my life to be endangered by this much-wanted pregnancy. SB #31 would allow for those who are pregnant, and for their family members, to rest assured that doctors would be allowed to do their jobs and provide medically indicated treatment.”
Rebecca Flores, member of Mission Concepción Catholic Church in San Antonio, said, “I have worried about the future of my seven granddaughters, and their reproductive years in the future, since 2022 when [SB 8] was passed. I know that pregnancy and childbirth are wonderful experiences. I had three children and one miscarriage – so I also know there is nothing ever sure about your pregnancies. All of us that are here today, must be sure that in the future, each pregnant woman receives the best care to protect her life and her health. I cannot accept that my seven granddaughters might suffer or die during pregnancy because of confusion or delayed treatment. The bill, the wonderful title of it “The Life of the Mother Act,” which is like a come on, will save lives. No woman should die because her doctors can’t do what they have to do.”
Dianne Hardy-Garcia, Director of Community Engagement and Advocacy at St. David’s Episcopal Church in Austin, said, “As a mom of two young adult daughters who I know dream of being mothers themselves someday, I worry about the risks—like that fact that 30% of pregnancies end in miscarriages, or that nearly 8% of pregnant women face serious and life-threatening health complications.The Life the Mother Act will allow physicians to treat my daughters —and all our daughters—so that losing a pregnancy doesn’t also mean losing their lives, or the chance to have children in the future.”
In the news:
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/abortion-ban-emergency-access-20228656.php