Does President Obama support or oppose an amendment sponsored by Rep.
Bart Stupak (D.-Mich.) that would explicitly prohibit federal funding
of abortion in the health-care bill now being considered in Congress?
As of now, the White House isn’t saying.
On Wednesday, the White House did not respond to CNSNews.com’s direct
written question on the matter. At Tuesday’s White House press
briefing, spokesman Robert Gibbs declined to specifically address
Stupak’s amendment. Click
here for the video.
The amendment says: “No funds authorized under this Act (or an
amendment by this Act) may be used to pay for any abortion or to cover
any part of the costs of any health plan that includes coverage of
abortion, except” in the cases of rape, incest and threat to the life
of the mother.
The amendment is co-sponsored by Rep. Joe Pitts (R.-Pa.), and mirrors
the language of the Hyde amendment, which is included in each year’s
Health and Human Services appropriation bill to prohibit abortion
funding in programs funded by that particular appropriations bill in
that particular year. Stupak’s amendment would permanently bar abortion
funding in the new programs that would be created by the health-care
bill. These new programs will not be funded through the annual HHS
appropriation that carries the Hyde amendment.
Stupak told CNSNews.com in a statement last week that he and other
pro-life Democrats would try to block the health care bill itself if
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi did not allow a vote on his amendment in the
full House when the health care bill comes up for consideration.
“There are many of us Democrats in the House who are philosophically,
legally, and morally opposed to public funding for abortions,” Stupak
told CNSNews.com in a statement last Friday.
“We want the chance to offer our amendment, the Hyde Amendment, on the
floor of the House. If our amendment is not made in order we will try
to shut down the rule, preventing the health care bill from coming to
the floor for a vote,” Stupak stated. “If the speaker believes that
abortion funding is not in the bill then she should let me have my
amendment, because if anything it would just be redundant.”
At Tuesday’s press briefing, CNSNews.com asked Gibbs about Stupak’s
plan to stop the health care bill if his amendment does not get a vote
in the full House. In responding, Gibbs did not address Stupak’s
amendment itself but pointed to answers he gave at press briefings last
Wednesday and Friday.
CNSNews.com asked Gibbs on Tuesday: “Robert, just want to revisit an
issue from last week. Congressman Bart Stupak has talked about possibly
holding up the bill, unless there’s Hyde-like language--
Gibbs: “I know you asked this question twice last week, so we're on
like--”
CNSNews.com: “This is a different question, this is a different
question.”
Gibbs: “I'm sure it is.”
CNSNews.com: “If Hyde-like language is already in the bill, would there
be any reason for Democrats not to support this language if it's”--
Gibbs: “I have not seen what Congressman Stupak said most recently. I
would refer you to the answers I gave you on this question just twice
last week.”
Gibbs was referring to questions CNSNews.com had asked him last
Wednesday and Friday about two letters that the U.S. Conference of
Catholic Bishops had sent to Congress in which the bishops stated and
then restated that no current version of the health care bill prohibits
abortion funding and that without such a prohibition the bishops would
oppose the bill.
Gibbs had contradicted the bishops, saying that the current law barring
federal funding of abortion (the Hyde amendment that is attached to
each year’s Health and Human Services appropriation) would also apply
to the health-care bill and that the bishops had misinterpreted the law.
Yesterday, Gibbs did not respond to a written question from CNSNews.com
asking: “Does the president support, does he oppose or does he not have
a position on the Stupak amendment?”
Gibbs’s argument that the Hyde amendment would prohibit abortion
funding in the health care bill is rejected not only by the U.S.
Conference of Catholic Bishops but also by National Right to Life.
Analyzing President Obama’s claim that the health care bill does not
fund abortion, the independent group FactCheck.org concluded: “Despite
what Obama said, the House bill would allow abortions to be covered by
a federal plan and by federally subsidized private plans.”
Stupak wants to attach the language of the Hyde Amendment to the health
care bill itself so abortion funding explicitly prohibited under
taxpayer-subsidized insurance plans. If the rule that would govern
debate on the health care bill and stipulate which proposed
amendments are eligible for votes on the House floor is defeated by a
vote of the House, the health care bill itself would die.
Stupak told Fox News last month he believed he had enough votes lined
up to defeat the rule if Speaker Pelosi does not agree to allow a vote
on an amendment to explicitly bar abortion funding through the bill.
The IFRL is the largest grassroots pro-life organization in
Illinois. A non-profit organization, that serves as the state
coordinating body for local pro-life chapters representing thousands of
Illinois citizens working to restore respect for all human life in our
society. The IFRL is composed of people of different political
persuasions, various faiths and diverse economic, social and ethnic
backgrounds. Since 1973 the Illinois Federation for Right to Life has
been working to end abortion and restore legal protection to those members of the
human family who are threatened by abortion, infanticide and euthanasia. Diverse though we are, we hold one common belief - that
every human being has an inalienable right to life that is precious and must be protected. IFRL is
dedicated to restoring the right to life to the unborn, and protection
for the disabled and the elderly.Click here to learn more about the IFRL.
