American protection of conscience laws

42 USC § 300a-7(b)
Prohibition of public officials and public authorities from imposition of certain requirements contrary to religious beliefs or moral convictions.
The receipt of any grant, contract, loan, or loan guarantee under the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 201 et seq.), the Community Mental Health Centers Act (42 U.S.C. 2689 et seq.), or the Developmental Disabilities Services and Facilities Construction Act (42 U.S.C. 6000 et seq.) by any individual or entity does not authorize any court or any public official or other public authority to require -

(1) such individual to perform or assist in the performance of any sterilization procedure or abortion if his performance or assistance in the performance of such procedure or abortion would be contrary to his religious beliefs or moral convictions; or

(2) such entity to -

(A) make its facilities available for the performance of any sterilization procedure or abortion if the performance of such procedure or abortion in such facilities is prohibited by the entity on the basis of religious beliefs or moral convictions,or

(B) provide any personnel for the performance or assistance in the performance of any sterilization procedure or abortion if the performance or assistance in the performance of such procedures or abortion by such personnel would be contrary to the religiousbeliefs or moral convictions of such personnel.

42 U.S.C. 300a-7 (c)(1)
Discrimination prohibition.
(1) No entity which receives a grant, contract, loan, or loan guarantee under the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 201 et seq.), the Community Mental Health Centers Act (42 U.S.C. 2689 et seq.), or the Developmental Disabilities Services and Facilities Construction Act (42 U.S.C. 6000 et seq.) after June 18, 1973, may -

(A) discriminate in the employment, promotion, or termination of employment of any physician or other health care personnel, or

(B) discriminate in the extension of staff or other privileges to any physician or other health care personnel, because he performed or assisted in the performance of a lawful sterilization procedure or abortion, because he refused to perform or assist in the performance of such a procedure or abortion on the grounds that his performance or assistance in the performance of the procedure or abortion would be contrary to his religious beliefs or moral convictions, or because of his religious beliefs or moral convictions respecting sterilization procedures or abortions.

42 U.S.C. 300a-7 (c)(2) No entity which receives after July 12, 1974, a grant or contract for biomedical or behavioral research under any program administered by the Secretary of Health and Human Services may -

(A) discriminate in the employment, promotion, or termination of employment of any physician or other health care personnel, or

(B) discriminate in the extension of staff or other privileges to any physician or other health care personnel, because he performed or assisted in the performance of any lawful health service or research activity, because he refused to perform or assist in the performance of any such service or activity on the grounds that his performance or assistance in the performance of such service or activity would be contrary to his religious beliefs or moral convictions, or because of his religious beliefs or moral convictions respecting any such service or activity.

42 U.S.C. 300a-7 (d).
Individual rights respecting certain requirements contrary to religious beliefs or moral convictions.
No individual shall be required to perform or assist in the performance of any part of a health service program or research activity funded in whole or in part under a program administered by the Secretary of Health and Human Services if his performance or assistance in the performance of such part of such program or activity would be contrary to his religious beliefs or moral convictions.

42 U.S.C. 300a-7 (e).
Prohibition on entities receiving Federal grant, etc., from discriminating against applicants for training or study because of refusal of applicant to participate on religious or moral grounds.
No entity which receives, after September 29, 1979, any grant, contract, loan, loan guarantee, or interest subsidy under the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 201 et seq.), the Community Mental Health Centers Act (42 U.S.C. 2689 et seq.), or the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act (42 U.S.C. 6000 et seq.) may deny admission or otherwise discriminate against any applicant (including applicants for internships and residencies) for training or study because of the applicant's reluctance, or willingness, to counsel, suggest, recommend, assist, or in any way participate in the performance of abortions or sterilizations contrary to or consistent with the applicant's religious beliefs or moral convictions.

Current Language Governing Contraceptive Coverage for Federal Employees

Sec. 635(c) of Title VI of Division J(Treasury and General Government Appropriations) of the Consolidated Appropriations Resolution, 2003, Pub. L. No. 108-7, 117 Stat. 11, 472 In implementing this section, any plan that enters into or renews a contract under this section may not subject any individual to discrimination on the basis that the individual refuses to prescribe or otherwise provide for contraceptives because such activities would be contrary to the individual’s religious beliefs or moral convictions

Congressional intent regarding a DC contraceptive mandate

Sec. 127 of Title III of Division C (District of Columbia Appropriations) of the Consolidated Appropriations Resolution, 2003, Pub. L No. 108-7, 117 Stat. 11, 126-27. Nothing in this Act may be construed to prevent the Council or Mayor of the District of Columbia from addressing the issue of the provision of contraceptive coverage by health insurance plans, but it is the intent of Congress that any legislation enacted on such issue should include a “conscience clause” which provides exceptions for religious beliefs and moral convictions.

Medicare: Counselling and Referral

42 U.S.C. § 1395w-22(j)(3)(B).
Conscience protection.
Subparagraph (A) [prohibiting interference with provider advice to enrollees] shall not be construed as requiring a Medicare + Choice plan to provide, reimburse for, or provide coverage of a counselling or referral service if the Medicare + Choice organization offering the plan --

(i) objects to the provision of such service on moral or religious grounds; and

(ii) in the manner and through the written instrumentalities such Medicare + Choice organization deems appropriate, makes available information on its policies regarding such service to prospective enrollees before or during enrolment and to enrollees within 90 days after the date that the organization or plan adopts a change in policy regarding such a counseling or referral service.

Medicaid: Counselling and Referral

42 U.S.C. § 1396u-2(b)(3).
Construction.
Subparagraph (A) [protecting enrollee-provider communications] shall not be construed as requiring a Medicaid managed care organization to provide, reimburse for, or provide coverage of, a counselling or referral service if the organization --

(i) objects to the provision of such service on moral or religious grounds; and (ii) in the manner and through the written instrumentalities such organization deems appropriate, makes available information on its policies regarding such service to prospective enrollees before or during enrolment and to enrollees within 90 days after the date that the organization adopts a change in policy regarding such a counselling or referral service...

Protecting Health Care Entities that Decline to Perform or Refer for Abortions for Any Reason (1996)

42 USC § 238n.
Abortion-related discrimination in governmental activities regarding training and licensing of physicians.
The Federal Government, and any State or local government that receives Federal financial assistance, may not subject any health care entity to discrimination on the basis that -

(1) the entity refuses to undergo training in the performance of induced abortions, to require or provide such training, to perform such abortions, or to provide referrals for such training or such abortions;

(2) the entity refuses to make arrangements for any of the activities specified in paragraph (1); or

(3) the entity attends (or attended) a post-graduate physician training program, or any other program of training in the health professions, that does not (or did not) perform induced abortions or require, provide or refer for training in the performance of induced abortions, or make arrangements for the provision of such training.

Regulation Prohibiting Compulsory Advocacy

48 CFR § 1609.7001 (c)(7).
... Providers, health care workers, or health plan sponsoring organizations are not required to discuss treatment options that they would not ordinarily discuss in their customary course of practice because such options are inconsistent with their professional judgment or ethical, moral or religious beliefs.

Legal Services Corporation on Abortion

42 U.S.C. § 2996f(b). Limitations on uses.
No funds made available by the [Legal Services] Corporation under this subchapter, either by grant or contract, may be used ... (8) to provide legal assistance with respect to any proceeding or litigation which seeks to procure a nontherapeutic abortion or to compel any individual or institution to perform an abortion, or assist in the performance of an abortion, or provide facilities for the performance of an abortion, contrary to the religious beliefs or moral convictions of such individual or institution....

Civil Rights Restoration Act

20 U.S.C. §1688. Neutrality with respect to abortion.
Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to require or prohibit any person, or public or private entity, to provide or pay for any benefit or service, including the use of facilities, related to an abortion.

Foreign Aid for Family Planning

Title II of Division E (Foreign Operations, Export Financing And Related Programs Appropriations Resolution, 2003, Public L. No. 108-7, 117 Stat.11, 163.
...Provided further, that in awarding grants for natural family planning under section 104 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 no applicant shall be discriminated against because of such applicant’s religious or conscientious commitment to offer only natural family planning...

United States Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Act of 2003

Pub. L. No. 108-25, 117 Stat. 711, at 733.
An organization that is otherwise eligible to receive assistance under section 104A of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (as added by subsection (a)) or under any other provision of this Act (or any amendment made by this Act) to prevent, treat, or monitor HIV/AIDS shall not be required, as a condition of receiving the assistance, to endorse or utilize a multisectoral approach to combatting HIV/AIDS, or to endorse, utilize, or participate in a prevention method or treatment program to which the organization has a religious or moral objection.

Exemption from Vaccination Requirement

8 U.S.C. §1182 (g). Bond and condition for admission of alien excludable on health-related grounds.
The Attorney General may waive the application of... subsection (a)(1)(A)(ii) of this section [requiring documentation that one has been vaccinated against certain diseases] in the case of any alien... under such circumstances as the Attorney General provides by regulation, with respect to whom the requirement of such a vaccination would be contrary to the alien’s religious beliefs or moral convictions...

Refusal to Participate in Executions or in Prosecution of a Capital Crime

18 U.S.C. §3597 (b).
Excuse of an employee on moral or religious grounds.
No employee of any State department of corrections, the United States Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, or the United States Marshals Service, and no employee providing services to that department, or bureau, or service under contract shall be required, as a condition of that employment or contractual obligation, to be in attendance at or participatie in any prosecution or execution under this section if such participation is contrary to the moral or religious convictions of the employee. In this subsection, "participation in executions" includes personal preparation of the condemned individual and the apparatus used for execution and supervision of the activities of other personnel in carrying out such activities.

[Also see virtually identical provision at 21 U.S.C. §848 (r)]

Weldon Amendment

Attack on freedom of conscience
in US House

[Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008, Pub. L. No. 110-161, § 508(d), 121 Stat. 1844, 2209]
The Weldon Amendment, originally adopted as section 508(d) of the Labor-HHS Division (Division F) of the 2005 Consolidated Appropriations Act, Pub. L. 108-447 (Dec. 8, 2004), has been readopted (or incorporated by reference) in each subsequent HHS appropriations act. [Title V of the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006, Pub. L. 109-149, § 508(d), 119 Stat. 2833, 2879-80; Revised Continuing Appropriations Resolution of 2007, P.L 110-5 §2, 121 stat 8, 9;Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008, Pub. L. No. 110-161, § 508(d), 121 Stat. 1844, 2209]

The Weldon Amendment provides that “[n]one of the funds made available under this Act [making appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education] may be made available to a Federal Agency or program, or to a State or local government, if such agency, program, or government subjects any institutional or individual health care entity to discrimination on the basis that the health care entity does not provide, pay for, provide coverage of, or refer for abortions.” It also defines “health care entity” to include “an individual physician or other health care professional, a hospital, a provider-sponsored organization, a health maintenance organization, a health insurance plan, or any other kind of health care facility, organization, or plan.”

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