Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., introduced legislation Thursday that aims to protect medical residents from being coerced into participating in abortion training that violates their consciences.

“Medical residents should never be pressured to violate their beliefs in order to finish their training or advance in their careers,” Lankford told The Daily Signal. “Many went into medicine to protect life, not take it. No one should have to choose between their conscience and their future in medicine. Our bill makes that clear and ensures medical students and residents can follow their convictions as they care for their patients.”

The way regulations from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education currently govern abortion training creates an opt-out system where residents may feel pressure to participate in the training for fear that not doing so could influence their future career outcomes, the senator claims. Lankford’s bill, the Conscience Protections for Medical Residents Act, would reform the system so that abortion training is opt-in. He intends this change to shield residents from retaliation or discrimination for their pro-life beliefs. 

The Oklahoma senator has also introduced legislation that would “bar any federal, state, or local government from discriminating against or penalizing a health care provider if they won’t perform, refer for, pay for, or participate in abortion services,” as The Daily Signal previously reported. 

Lankford, an ordained Southern Baptist minister who previously worked in youth ministry in Oklahoma, has represented the Sooner State in the Senate since 2015 and served in the House from 2011 to 2015.

Lankford’s legislative work also dovetails with the Trump administration’s focus on restoring religious freedom and conscience rights through the Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights, which was created during President Donald Trump‘s first term, and the Religious Liberty Commission, whose members have been appointed by the president.

“Medical residents should not be compelled to participate in abortion training if it violates their conscience,” Rep. Greg Murphy, R-N.C., who is introducing the legislation in the House, told The Daily Signal.

“Opting out of such training enables potential retaliation by faculty who have enormous power over residents and their future success,” Murphy added. “Pursuing an elective abortion is not the same as receiving lifesaving care, such as for miscarriages or ectopic pregnancies, and training should reflect that. This issue is about restoring a non-ideological educational environment where individuals do not fear expressing moral or religious objections.”

Cosponsors of the bill in the Senate include Sens. Jim Banks of Indiana, Katie Britt of Alabama, Ted Budd of North Carolina, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, John Cornyn of Texas, Steve Daines of Montana, Josh Hawley of Missouri, Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, Rick Scott of Florida, Roger Wicker of Mississippi, and Todd Young of Indiana.

Various pro-life groups including as CatholicVote, March for Life Action, Heritage Action, Liberty Counsel Action, and the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists support the legislation.

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