Sunday
Mar212010
House Republicans Balk At White House Compromise
Sunday, March 21, 2010 at 7:12PM
House Republicans claimed Sunday that pro-life members of Congress should continue to oppose health care reform legislation, despite the promise of an executive order from the White House to assure that no federal funds will go towards abortion.
“An executive order issued by the president is not worth the paper it is written on,” said Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-Ohio) during an early evening press conference with pro-life Republicans. “It is not the law of the land and it can be rescinded in the blink of an eye.”
Republican criticism of the executive order came shortly after pro-life Democrat Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) announced that he and other like-minded Democrats would support the bill in light of the order. Stupak provided an amendment to specifically prohibit federal funds for abortion in the initial health care reform bill.
Rep. Joe Pitts (R-Pa.), who co-sponsored Stupak’s original amendment, stated that the executive order was an unacceptable compromise.
“I find absolutely no comfort in this executive order. This puts the fate of the unborn in the hands of the most pro-abortion president in history,” said Pitts. “Any member of either party who votes for this bill will never, ever be able to claim they always stood for the most important and fundamental of human rights.”
“An executive order issued by the president is not worth the paper it is written on,” said Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-Ohio) during an early evening press conference with pro-life Republicans. “It is not the law of the land and it can be rescinded in the blink of an eye.”
Republican criticism of the executive order came shortly after pro-life Democrat Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) announced that he and other like-minded Democrats would support the bill in light of the order. Stupak provided an amendment to specifically prohibit federal funds for abortion in the initial health care reform bill.
Rep. Joe Pitts (R-Pa.), who co-sponsored Stupak’s original amendment, stated that the executive order was an unacceptable compromise.
“I find absolutely no comfort in this executive order. This puts the fate of the unborn in the hands of the most pro-abortion president in history,” said Pitts. “Any member of either party who votes for this bill will never, ever be able to claim they always stood for the most important and fundamental of human rights.”
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