Kathleen Sebelius Won’t Comment on Abortion Funding, Receiving Communion
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
September 16, 2009
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — In a new interview with the Washington Post, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius is making news more for what she won’t say than what she revealed. She refused to say if she personally supports abortion funding in the health care bill and was silent on her status as a pro-abortion Catholic.
The top Obama official confirmed in the Post interview that she supports abortion but hedged when asked, "Do you think that the federal government should do some federal funding of abortions, personally?"
"Well, the President has made it pretty clear that Congress and the new health insurance plan will not provide federal funds for abortions," she responded.
"Well, I know that. I was asking you what you thought," the Post interviewer said.
"I am the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and I will support the President’s proposal moving forward," Sebelius said in a second evasive reply.
The Post also asked Sebelius about the controversy in her home state of Kansas when Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of the Archdiocese of Kansas City said she needed to refrain from receiving communion until she changes her position supporting abortion.
"Well, the Archbishop in the Kansas City area did not approve of my conduct as a public official and asked that I not present myself for communion," she said.
Asked what she thought, Sebelius continued: "Well, it was one of the most painful things I have ever experienced in my life, and I am a firm believer in the separation of church and state, and I feel that my actions as a parishioner are different than my actions as a public official and that the people who elected me in Kansas had a right to expect me to uphold their rights and their beliefs even if they did not have the same religious beliefs that I had."
"And that’s what I did: I took an oath of office and I have taken an oath of office in this job and will uphold the law," she said.
But Sebelius would not reveal whether she receives communion now.
"I really would prefer not to discuss with you. That’s really a personal — thank you," she responded, closing off her answer.
When it comes to abortion funding in the health care legislation, Sebelius’ position is important because current bills put her in the position of deciding whether there is an expansion in taxpayer-funding of abortions.
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