A House committee is fast-tracking proposed amendments on abortion, marriage and voting rights! 

In an unusual fast-tracking move, the House Privileges and Elections Committee will be hearing, and presumably voting on, three constitutional amendment proposals tomorrow morning at 11:00am:

• an extreme “right to abortion” amendment,
• an amendment to repeal the one-man/one-woman marriage provision, and
• an amendment to restore voting rights.

Committee approval of these resolutions would advance them to the House floor, for a vote early in the 2025 session. The process to amend Virginia’s constitution is multi-year and involves a number of steps, but this latest action must be met with a high volume of voices. We urge you to submit written comments by clicking here and using the form provided.

Here are some suggested talking points:

HJ 1 – “right to abortion” amendment

• I strongly oppose enshrining a “right” to abortion in Virginia’s constitution.
• HJ 1 would severely jeopardize even the few modest protections for unborn children currently in Virginia law, such as the ban on partial-birth abortion and the law requiring parental consent.
• HJ 1 could also pre-empt any future legislation to protect babies before they are born.
• A policy of unlimited abortion up until birth should be seen as a fundamental tragedy, not a fundamental right.
• Reject HJ 1. Instead of expanding abortion, I urge you to work instead for policies that affirm the life and dignity of every mother and every child.

HJ 2 – restoring voting rights

• I support HJ 2. All people who have completed their sentences should have their voting rights restored, as is the case in the vast majority of states.

HJ 9 – marriage 

• I oppose HJ 9, which would remove the constitutional provision that affirms marriage as the union of one man and one woman.
• Marriage has an original design and purpose that predates any nation, religion or law.

Pregnant and need help? Click here to find pregnancy resources offered by our two dioceses.

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In prayer and in public, your voices are urgently needed to bring Gospel values to bear on vital decisions being made by those who represent you.

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The Virginia Catholic Conference is the public policy agency representing Virginia’s Catholic bishops and their two dioceses.