“The Bush administration has done a poor job of cloaking its latest end run around women’s reproductive rights. A Department of Health and Human Services proposed rule would require health-care providers and other recipients of aid from federal health programs to certify they will not refuse to hire nurses and other providers who object to abortion and some birth control. No certification; no aid. … [This] clearly is a ploy to limit women’s access to reproductive healthcare. The administration knows attaching strings to funding would have disastrous consequences on access to abortion and contraceptives by women. The proposed change is worded so broadly the restrictions would extend to oral contraceptives and emergency contraception.” [editor’s note: Given that physicians already have the ability to refuse to treat a woman who seeks an abortion (even for unrelated conditions), to formalize the process seems only more draconian - SAT] (07/23/08)