House Adopts Pro-Life Amendment; Action Shifts to Senate
WASHINGTON (Updated November 8, 2009) - On Saturday, November 7, the U.S. House of Representatives approved the NRLC-backed Stupak-Pitts Amendment to the massive health care
restructuring bill (H.R. 3962, previously H.R. 3200) by a vote of 240-194 <http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2009/roll884.xml. The House then passed H.R. 3962, as amended, by a vote of 220-215.
The action now shifts to the U.S. Senate, where two committees have approved sweeping health care bills. Senate Majority Leader Reid and a handful of Democratic senators, in consultation with the White House, are now creating a combined bill behind closed doors, which Reid says he hopes to bring to the Senate floor within a matter of weeks. It is certain that the Reid bill will contain pro-abortion components, including a "public plan" -- a health plan run directly by the federal government, which will fund elective abortions with federal funds (which are the only kind of funds that the government can spend). Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and other pro-life senators will seek to remove the pro-abortion elements through amendments on the Senate floor.
Obtaining broad federal subsidies for abortion as part of “health care reform” is currently the top priority of many pro-abortion organizations, such as the Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA). These organizations are pushing for the abortion mandates both in public statements and in less visible lobbying efforts. In April, the president of PPFA said that her organization intends to use the health care legislation as a "platform" to guarantee "access" to abortion to "all women." Likewise, the National Abortion Federation, an association of abortion providers, said, "NAF
supports health care reform as a way to increase access to comprehensive reproductive health care, including abortion care, for all women."
On July 17, 2007, during Barack Obama's campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination, he appeared before the annual conference of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund. Speaking of his plans for "health care reform," Obama said, "in my mind, reproductive care is essential care. It is basic care, and so it is at the center and at the heart of the plan that I propose." He stated that, "What we're doing is to say that we're going to set up a public plan that all persons and all women can access if they don't have health insurance. It'll be a plan that will provide all essential services, including reproductive services." Under his plan, Obama explained, people could choose to keep
their existing private health care plans, but "insurers are going to have to abide by the same rules in terms of providing comprehensive care, including reproductive care ... that's going to be absolutely vital." (You can view a video of Obama's remarks here <http://stoptheabortionagenda.com/>. You can view a review of what Obama said by the independent group Politifact.com here <http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2009/sep/11/john-boehner/boehner-says-abortion-access-was-always-key-goal-o/>.)
Rep. Travis Childers (202) 225-4306
Rep. Benny Thompson (202)225-5876
Rep. Greg Harper (202)225-5031
Rep. Gene Taylor (202)225-5772
Sen. Cochran (202)224-5054
Sen. Wicker (202)224-6253
<http://benniethompson.house.gov/>
<http://harper.house.gov/index.html>
<http://www.childers.house.gov/>
<http://www.taylor.house.gov/>
<http://cochran.senate.gov/>
<http://wicker.senate.gov/public/>
For the complete story of the following articles go to <www.LifeNews.com>
Pro-Abortion MoveOn to Challenge Pro-Life Democrats Voting No on Health Care Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The pro-abortion grassroots activist group MoveOn says it has raised millions of dollars to take on any pro-life or moderate Democrat who would vote against or hold up the health care reform bill. Pro-life groups oppose the bills because they currently contain massive government funding of abortions. MoveOn informed its members in a Thursday email that it has raised well over $3 million to fund pro-abortion challenges to any Democrat who votes against the bills. It says it has raised $3,578,117 to challenge "any Democratic senator who blocks an up-or-down vote on health care reform with a public option." The email warned that any Democratic lawmaker who joins Republicans to filibuster or vote against the pro-abortion health care bills will "face an enormous backlash from the grassroots." The email also says MoveOn is joining Democracy for America, the activist group created by pro-abortion former Democratic Party chairman and presidential candidate Howard Dean, to call on Democrats in Congress to strip committee chairmanships from any Democrat who opposes the pro-abortion bill.
Life is precious at all Stages