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Public Policy
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  • Healthcare Reform: One Step Forward for America; One Step Back for Women's Rights
    March 2010
    A statement from Catholics for Choice President Jon O'Brien following the passage of the healthcare reform bill.
  • In Taking a Lead from the Bishops, Democratic Leadership Is out of Step with Voters
    January 2010

    A series of opinion polls taken in the districts of four Catholic representatives who supported the restrictions on abortion imposed by the Stupak-Pitts amendment show that voters do not agree with proposed healthcare reform legislation on the issue of insurance coverage for abortion.

    Read a one-page summary of the four polls [PDF]

  • Catholic Voters’ Views on Health Care Reform and Reproductive Health Care Services: A National Opinion Survey of Catholic Voters [PDF]
    September 2009

    A new poll of Catholic voters carried out by Belden Russonello and Stewart for Catholics for Choice shows that Catholics support healthcare reform and support a plan that would include funding for abortion.

    Read a one-page summary of the poll [PDF]

  • We Believe in Healthcare Reform
    August 2009
    A statement from Catholics for Choice on healthcare reform.
  • Negotiating with People's Lives: Religion and Politics in the PEPFAR Negotiations [PDF]
    Conscience Winter 2008-2009

    Jodi Enda discusses the Catholic hierarchy’s back door negotiations which stripped life-saving family planning measures from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.

  • A Voice from the Front Line [PDF]
    Conscience Summer-Autumn 2008
    Eileen Flockhart, a former member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives, shares her experiences as prochoice legislator and Catholic. She opens up about attacks by pastors and churchgoers on issues ranging from emergency contraception to civil unions.
  • Secular and Security-Minded: The Catholic Voter in Summer 2008
    Executive Summary     [PDF]

    Full Poll [PDF]


    More than 1000 Catholics who are likely voters in the 2008 presidential election, including an oversample of Latino Catholics, answered questions regarding the war in Iraq, national security, gay marriage, stem cell research, abortion, education, Medicaid and Social Security and the Catholic bishops' denial of communion and involvement in politics. This is the third pre-presidential survey of Catholic voters that Catholics for Choice has conducted. The surveys conducted in October 2000 and June 2004 reflected Catholic voter preferences for President on election day.
  • A True Balancing Act
    Conscience Winter 2007-2008

    The Catholic hierarchy has a long history of involving itself in debates over public policy. From advocating for the poor to opposing war and the death penalty, there is much good the church has done in this arena. However, in the area for which it is perhaps best known—debates over abortion, contraception and other “life issues”—the hierarchy’s advocacy has cost people their lives.

  • Democrats for Life: Not Prolife Democrats [PDF]
    2007, 52 pp.

    The past four decades have witnessed a profound shift in the political allegiances of the Catholic church from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party.  It has also seen the emergence of “prolife” Democratic elected officials who claim to represent the authentic position of the church on life issues.  This report examines the shifting allegiances of the Catholic hierarchy, as well as the self-proclaimed prolife Catholic Democrats who have served—or are serving—in the United States Congress.

  • Rights in the Church: Notes on Canon Law No. 2 [PDF]

    2006, 16 pp.
    Can divorced and remarried Catholics receive communion?  Can a prochoice Catholic politician be turned away from the altar?  Do parishioners have a right to know how the pastor and bishop are spending their contributions?  The second in CFFC's popular Notes on Canon Law series provides guidance on what rights policy makers and individuals have under the Catholic church's canon law.
  • A Cautionary Tale
    Conscience Autumn 2005
    Has progressive religion moved far enough away from patriarchy to do women and democracy much good?

  • Opposition Watch:
    The Fidelis Report [PDF]


    2005
    An investigative report by CFFC to unveil Fidelis, a conservative Catholic group created to work behind the scenes to influence the confirmation process to the Supreme Court.
  • Catholic Health Care Update: The Facts About Catholic Health Care [PDF]
    2005, 5 pp.
    This report provides updated answers to important questions about the current climate of Catholic Health Care, including information on Catholic hospitals, HMOs and health services for women.
  • Catholic Health Care State Reports
    2002-05, approx 15 pp. each

    In-depth reports that reveal the activities of and developments within the Catholic health industry and lobby, as well as state-specific reproductive health issues and initiatives.

  • The View from Mainstream America: The Catholic Vote in 2004 [PDF]
    2004, 70 pp.

    The largest poll of American Catholic attitudes and positions on key election issues in 2004. More than 2200 Catholics, including an oversample of Hispanics, answered questions regarding the war in Iraq, national security, gay marriage, stem cell research, abortion, education, Medicaid and Social Security and the Catholic bishops' denial of communion and involvement in politics.

  • Opposition Watch:
    Bad Faith Makes Bad Politics [PDF]


    2004, 30pp.
    An investigative report detailing the expansion of the Culture of Life Foundation and its link to the Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute (C-Fam) under the guidance of Austin Ruse.
  • Notes on Canon Law No. 1: Catholics and Abortion [PDF]
    2004, 13 pp.
    From our popular Notes on Canon Law series, a brief and straightforward analysis of what the Catholic church's canon law says about abortion and what it means for the rights of prochoice Catholics.
  • Flip-Flopping
    Conscience Summer 2003
    Reflections on presidential hopeful Dennis Kucinich, a "prolifer" for choice.
  • Prochoice Politics and Church Law
    Conscience Spring 2003
    What the anti-abortion lobby does not want you to know.
  • Religion and Public Policy at the UN [PDF]
    2002, 70 pp.
    A comprehensive report based on research, case studies and analysis by the Religion Counts project to make clear the role of religion at the United Nations and its world forums.
  • Opposition Watch:
    Bad Faith at the UN[PDF]
    2001, 40 pp.
    An extensive report examining the history, activities and finances of the Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute, an anti-reproductive rights Catholic organization that lobbies at the UN, and its founder Austin Ruse.
  • For the Record...

    Read CFC letters and memos to policy makers and public officials around the world.

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