Dear Editor: I was glad to see recent coverage of church leaders expressing concerns about the American Health Care Act (AHCA). Church leaders were right to critique certain aspects of the Affordable Care Act before, and they are right to critique the AHCA now, all on the basis of how they do or don’t protect the vulnerable.

It’s true that reallocating funds to life-affirming women’s health options rather than abortion providers would be a significant positive step. But I couldn’t miss the irony of the bill being praised by some as “pro-life” when it also threatens coverage of prenatal care.

Catholic social teaching tells us the dignity of human life neither begins nor ends with birth. Now it apparently needs to be said that this dignity, for both the born and unborn, does not end the moment abortion is not being considered. If we are to maintain any shred of integrity in our pro-life witness, we cannot fall into such glaring inconsistencies.

JULIA SMUCKER

East Elmhurst