Contact: Dr. Deal Hudson, Executive Director, Catholic Advocate, hudsondeal@gmail.com; Dr. Kevin Roberts, Executive Director, Catholic Families for America, 512-686-3125; Lisa Correnti, Executive Director, OneNationUnderGod.org, ltcorrenti@onenationundergod.org

MEDIA ADVISORY, Nov. 24 /Christian Newswire/ -- On Saturday the U.S. Senate voted to send a health care bill to the floor for debate that directly threatens human life and dignity. Eighteen Catholic Democrat senators voted for the bill that includes federal funding for abortion -- without their votes it would have failed.

The Catholic bishops have made the Church's teaching abundantly clear -- Catholic lawmakers "have a grave and clear obligation to oppose any law that contradicts humanity's fundamental right to life."

The pending Senate bill is fundamentally flawed. The U.S. Bishops Conference reports that not only does the Senate bill provide federal funding for plans that cover abortion but also creates an unprecedented mandatory "abortion surcharge." This surcharge will require Catholics and other citizens who believe in the defense of innocent life to pay directly and explicitly for other people's abortions.

Two weeks ago the U.S. House passed health care reform bill H.R. 3962, including the Stupak-Pitts Amendment, restricting taxpayer funds from covering elective abortions. Once again, there were Catholic lawmakers, 61 in all, who sought to advance the culture of death by defeating the amendment.

We ask Catholic voters and their bishops to hold accountable those Catholic lawmakers who voted against the Stupak amendment and Catholic senators who voted to advance the Senate bill with abortion funding to the floor for debate.

Catholic advocacy groups will continue to closely monitor how Catholic lawmakers treat the Senate bill and urge the eighteen Senate Democrats to follow the example of House Democrats, led by Cong. Bart Stupak, to put the faith before party loyalty.