House Republicans Zero In On Abortion Funding

By Mario Trujillo

House Republicans are moving forward with legislation that would specifically prohibit the use of federal funds for abortion.

During a press conference Thursday, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said that the legislation, the No Taxpayer Funding For Abortion Act, is one of Republicans’ top goals on their legislative calendar.

“It is one of our highest legislative priorities and as such, I have directed that it receive the designation of H.R. 3,” Boehner said.

The bill to repeal the healthcare law was H.R. 2. H.R. 1 has not been designated by the speaker yet. 

 When pressed on what changes the bill would make, especially in light of an executive order signed last year by President Obama that prohibited state-funded abortions, Boehner said it would clearly codify the law. 

 “We had an opportunity during the health care debate to include … language which would have made clear, in law, that taxpayer funding of elected abortions is prohibited,” Boehner said. “That did not occur and clearly there is an awful lot of doubt as to where the administration really is on this issue.” 

While the new bill bans state-funded elected abortions, there is an exception for abortion in certain cases of rape, incest and life-threatening situations for the mother.