Bush wants to make sure anti-choicers aren't discriminated against
According to the New York Times and Feministing, Bush has decided to completely take over women's reproductive health by forcing clinics not to 'discriminate' against anti-choicers.
The Bush administration wants to require all recipients of aid under federal health programs to certify that they will not refuse to hire nurses and other providers who object to abortion and even certain types of birth control.Commenting on the above post, Ben from Feministing states:
Under the draft of a proposed rule, hospitals, clinics, researchers and medical schools would have to sign "written certifications" as a prerequisite to getting money under any program run by the Department of Health and Human Services.
The thing about this is that the article is unclear what, if any, requirements there are after hiring. And since it's a bona fide occupational qualification for a nurse or practitioner to provide care uninfluenced by their own personal prejudices, I don't see this lasting very long. It's on extremely shaky legal ground anyway, and seems like a disgusting but pointless symbolic gesture.Lets hope this doesn't last or even get through the front door of congress.