In an interview with the National Review Tuesday, Nelson said the legislation's opposition to Catholic pro-life values would have serious implications for Catholic and non-Catholic Americans alike, who face a seismic shift from "a sanctity-of-life ethic in favor of a quality-of-life ethic."

"Catholic hospitals are the primary alternative to government-owned and for-profit hospitals in the United States," said the law professor. "At their best, Catholic hospitals offer a distinctive product by combining traditional health-care services with a commitment to serving the poor and promoting the sanctity of life.

"If Catholic hospitals disappear, there will be even a greater likelihood that health care in the United States will become a unitary governmental system.

"This would lead to a vast increase in the power of the federal government and a concomitant decline in the role of intermediate groups that enhance social cohesion and humanize health care."