Tuesday
Jul142009
GOP Congressmen Warn That Health Care Reform Could Provide Public Funding For Abortion
Tuesday, July 14, 2009 at 3:54PM
By Celia Canon- Talk Radio News Service
House Republicans gathered on Tuesday to denounce the inclusion of publicly funded abortions in the proposed health care reform.
“If the President is serious about passing true health care reform... [he] needs to step up, clarify his position about whether he wants abortion to be included in his health care reform,” said Rep. Mary Fallin (R-Ok.)
The proposed health care reform legislation requires every American to have the right to benefit from a minimum health care coverage, which may include abortion unless Congress makes abortion a statutory exception.
Rep. Joe Pitts (R-Penn.) warned that “The issue here is clear - abortion is not explicitly excluded, it is implicitly included. The stakes are high and the implications incredibly far reaching.”
GOP leaders claim that allowing abortion to be funded by taxpayers may legitimize the procedure, which in turn could lead to an increase in abortion rates.
Congresswoman Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) noted the disrespect shown to pro-life Americans who, through this legislation, would indirectly fund abortion through taxation.
“Millions and millions of American women have profound moral qualms about the killing of unborn children by abortion, putting these American women in a position that violates their deeply held beliefs on abortion... [The legislation] will trespass their rights to refrain from funding an industry that they find to be destructive to our nation's social and moral fabric,” Foxx said.
"Abortion, except in rare circumstances, is not heath care,” noted Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.)
House Republicans gathered on Tuesday to denounce the inclusion of publicly funded abortions in the proposed health care reform.
“If the President is serious about passing true health care reform... [he] needs to step up, clarify his position about whether he wants abortion to be included in his health care reform,” said Rep. Mary Fallin (R-Ok.)
The proposed health care reform legislation requires every American to have the right to benefit from a minimum health care coverage, which may include abortion unless Congress makes abortion a statutory exception.
Rep. Joe Pitts (R-Penn.) warned that “The issue here is clear - abortion is not explicitly excluded, it is implicitly included. The stakes are high and the implications incredibly far reaching.”
GOP leaders claim that allowing abortion to be funded by taxpayers may legitimize the procedure, which in turn could lead to an increase in abortion rates.
Congresswoman Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) noted the disrespect shown to pro-life Americans who, through this legislation, would indirectly fund abortion through taxation.
“Millions and millions of American women have profound moral qualms about the killing of unborn children by abortion, putting these American women in a position that violates their deeply held beliefs on abortion... [The legislation] will trespass their rights to refrain from funding an industry that they find to be destructive to our nation's social and moral fabric,” Foxx said.
"Abortion, except in rare circumstances, is not heath care,” noted Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.)
Reader Comments (3)
Please, Please vote against any bill that would make it mandatory for the U.S. Government to provide health care to all. Citizen and Non-citizen. We can't afford it. Please take the avenue of tort reform and encouraging competition in the healthcare arena. I believe those two things would greatly affect the cost of health care making it more affordabe to the average citizen. I agree 100% about the abortion issue but please do not focus solely on this. WE CAN'T AFFORD ANY MORE!
Thank you for your work in Washington
Actually, health care is much cheaper with a government option. But in any case, if I have to pay for war, you have to pay for abortion. If I don't have to pay the percentage of taxes to fight in Iraq, then maybe you shouldn't have to pay for abortion. Since that isn't so, stop whining.
Leave it to the Republicans to pander to the anti-abortion crowd when talking about health care reform. Next conservatives will claim that health care legislation will make abortions mandatory. I hope that readers of this article are not so gullible as to fall for this classic fear tactic.
Republicans are grasping at straws because a strong majority of Americans want to expand the same health care system that members of congress enjoy.
We need a single-payer system.