Washington D.C. – U.S. Senators Katie Britt (R-Ala.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), and a group of Senate colleagues have introduced the Conscience Protections for Medical Residents Act, a bill aimed at strengthening federal protections for medical students and residents who object to abortion training on moral or religious grounds.
Current Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) rules allow residents to opt out of abortion-related training. However, supporters of the legislation say the opt-out system can create an environment where trainees feel pressured to participate to avoid negative impacts on evaluations or future career opportunities.
The newly proposed legislation would shift the process from an opt-out to an opt-in model, allowing residents to voluntarily choose whether to take part in abortion training. The bill also seeks to prohibit discrimination or retaliation against those who decline participation.
“There should never be an instance where a medical student or resident is forced to choose between their deeply held moral or religious convictions and their careers. Our legislation simply lets residents opt in, rather than be forced to opt out, of training that violates their consciences,” Senator Britt said. She added that she is committed to supporting measures that protect the values of medical professionals during their training.
Senator Lankford echoed these concerns, saying, “Medical residents should never be pressured to violate their beliefs in order to finish their training or advance in their careers. Many went into medicine to protect life, not take it. No one should have to choose between their conscience and their future in medicine.”
The bill has been cosponsored by Senators Bill Cassidy (R-La.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Jim Banks (R-Ind.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), and Todd Young (R-Ind.).
A number of organizations have publicly endorsed the legislation, including AAPLOG Action, SBA, ADF, AUL, NRLC, CURE, CatholicVote, Vitae Foundation, Human Coalition, March for Life Action, Heartbeat International, SFLA Action, CWALAC, ERLC, Live Action, Heritage Action, FPA, Liberty Counsel, FRC, and Liberty Counsel Action.
