Liberal backers of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act quickly pointed out that this proposed “abortion neutral” amendment was in no way neutral on abortion. A truly neutral law — explained First Amendment experts like Michael McConnell of the University of Chicago Law School, Edward McGlynn Gaffney of Valparaiso University School of Law, Douglas Laycock from the University of Texas at Austin and Marc Stern from the American Jewish Congress — would provide religious exemptions to those who preferred not to offer abortion care while also protecting women whose religious convictions affirmed their right to abort. Instead of offering neutrality on abortion, the proposed amendment threatened to transform the Religious Freedom Restoration Act into a discriminatory law. It would shield the rights of people whose religious traditions rejected abortion, while undermining the rights of those whose religions permitted, supported or mandated the procedure.