House adopts Stupak-Pitts Amendment - House passes Health care measure 220-215
WASHINGTON (November 7, 2009) — The National Right to Life Committee (NRLC), the federation of right-to-life organizations in the 50 states, issued the following statement regarding today's actions in the House of Representatives on the health care restructuring legislation, H.R. 3962.The House adopted the NRLC-backed Stupak-Pitts Amendment, 240-194. The Stupak-Pitts Amendment removed two major pro-abortion components from H.R. 3962. Specifically: (1) the amendment would permanently prohibit the new federal government insurance program, the "public option," from paying for abortion, except to save the life of the mother, or in cases of rape or incest; and (2) the amendment would permanently prohibit the use of the new federal premium subsidies ("affordability credits") to purchase private insurance plans that cover abortion (except to save the life of the mother, or in cases of rape or incest). The amendment was sponsored by Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mi.) and Joe Pitts (R-Pa.). It was supported by 176 Republicans and 64 Democrats. It was opposed by 194 Democrats. One Republican withheld his support by voting "present."
NRLC Legislative Director Douglas Johnson said: "The Obama White House and top congressional Democratic leaders spent months concealing and misrepresenting provisions that would directly fund abortions through a government plan, and subsidize premiums for private abortion plans. Today's bipartisan House vote is a sharp blow to the White House's pro-abortion smuggling operation. But we know that the White House and pro-abortion congressional Democratic leaders will keep trying to enact government funding of abortion, and will keep trying to conceal their true intentions, so there is a long battle ahead."
The Associated Press reported, "Abortion rights advocates called the measure the biggest setback to women's reproductive rights in decades."
In addition to working hard to remove abortion subsidies from the bill, NRLC has sought to educate lawmakers and the public about components of H.R. 3962 that could result in rationing or discriminatory denial of lifesaving medical care. A letter sent by NRLC to the House late today, summarizing objectionable elements of the amended bill, is posted here. The letter states: "We will continue to work to correct provisions that we find objectionable in this area, both in the health care legislation that will come before the Senate, and in any conference committee on health care legislation. We reserve the right to score the roll call vote on the conference report, or on any Senate-passed bill, if these concerns are not
adequately resolved."
PHOENIX (November 8, 2009) Arizona Right to life noted passage of the House bill on Health care reform after adoption of the Stupak-Pitts amendment by blasting the House leadership for the late night tactics and continued deception of the American people. John Jakubczyk stated, " The late night vote over this weekend orchestrated by Nancy Pelosi reflects a desperation on the part of pro-abortion democrats who want to pass a bill that still contains objectionable and unconstitutional elements that offend the sensibilities of the American people. So their answer to representative government is to meet in the dead of night and pass a 2000 page monstrosity and call it serving the people. Aside for m the conscience clause problems and the "death panels" still in the bill, the punitive use of the tax code to scare people into subjugation has yet to be digested by the American people. When it is, there will be a roar that will make the August recess look like a walk in the park."
Jakubczyk also commended Doug Johnson and the NRLC staff for their efforts to keep pro-lifers focused on getting the needed votes to pass the Stupak-Pitts Amendment. Jakubczyk also stressed that the Democratic leadership could attempt to jettison the amendment if the bill gets to a joint conference committee with the Senate version and reminded everyone that vigilance is required along with eliminating other objectionable parts of the bill.
posted by Jakubczyk on Life @ 2:41 AM
2 Comments:
Since the beginning, I've only had a problem with two issues surrounding the reform (theoretically speaking - since I'm Canadian): state-funded abortions and suicide counselling for elderly people.
It's great the 1st issue made it out of the bill.. hope the 2nd one will disappear while the bill's taking a vacation in Senate.
Jay
John,
I appreciate your moderate and temperate comments on the Vox Nova Blog. I do want to mention that while I would strongly support the Stupak Amendent and am opposed to abortion, I have left the Pro-Life Movement after 30 years of activity because of positions like AZ RTL has taken such as blasting the House leadership for the the time of day it schedules votes, positions on the constitutionality of the health care bill, claims that even with the Stupak Amendment that it offend the sensibilities of the American people and is a monstrosity and contains "death panels" a punitive use of the tax code to scare people into subjugation.
As an ex-pro-lifer, I now have one less meeting to go to and those who wish to make the pro-life movement "smaller and more orthodox" have one less dissenter. I guess everyone is happy.
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