Pro-life loss: D.C. discrimination law.

• Author: Slade, Stephanie
• Position: Reproductive Health Non-Discrimination Act - Citings - Brief article

LATE ON April 30, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to block the implementation of a Washington, D.C, law called the Reproductive Health Non-Discrimination Act (RHNDA). To actually nullify it, the Senate would have had to take the same step and the president would have needed to sign the resolution by May 2.

That didn't happen, so RHNDA is now in effect. The law prohibits discrimination by employers "on the basis of the individual's or a dependent's reproductive health decision making" or "on the basis of an employer's personal beliefs about such services." Proponents say the measure is necessary to protect women from, for example, being fired for using birth control or in vitro fertilization.

Religious organizations counter that RHNDA could be used to force religious small-business owners or even pro-life activist groups to hire...