More than 7,000 progressive nuns sent a letter Monday to senators urging them to vote against the Better Care Reconciliation Act.
The letter from the Catholic Sisters was sent through the Network Lobby for Catholic Social Justice and led by Sister Simone Campbell. The group stated it is most troubled by the bill’s cuts to Medicaid.
“Our faith urges us to care for all people and all of creation, especially the most vulnerable. The BCRA would be the most harmful legislation for American families in our lifetimes,” said sisters in the letter.
The sisters said they strongly believe the bill goes against their Catholic beliefs.
“As Pope Francis teaches, ‘health is not a consumer good, but a universal right, so access to health services cannot be a privilege,’” the letter states. “The passage of this bill would cause far more suffering than we could possibly attend to through charity.”
The group asks the Senate to reject any other proposals that would repeal the Affordable Care Act or cut Medicaid. Instead, they said they wanted Congress to seek bipartisan solutions that would expand quality, affordable coverage.
The Catholic Sisters represent nuns specifically pushing for social justice causes. Negotiations continue between other religious groups, including the Little Sisters of the Poor, and the federal government over the contraception mandate within the Affordable Care Act.
The Senate plans to vote on healthcare legislation this week.
