Vote to Affirm Obama’s Plan to Fund Abortions in DC Gets Trashed, Supported
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
July 8, 2009
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — The congressman who sponsored an amendment to stop President Barack Obama’s plan to fund abortions in Washington, D.C. with taxpayer dollars is disappointed by the outcome. Rep. Todd Tiahrt’s reaction stands in contrast to the delighted outlook coming from NARAL.
As LifeNews.com report, most of the Democrats on the House Appropriations Committee aligned themselves with Obama to force Americans to fund abortions in the nation’s capital.
Tiahrt blasted their votes in comments his office sent to LifeNews.com and said it would mean more abortions — a violation of President Obama’s promise to reduce them.
"When given the opportunity this week, Democrat appropriators voted to allow the District of Columbia to use public funding for abortions without limitations. The door is now open for American taxpayers to pay for abortions, even into the ninth month of pregnancy," he said. "This was the wrong decision and one that is contrary to the will of the American people."
"We have heard the President himself say we need to reduce abortions," the Kansas congressman continued. The Tiahrt-Davis amendment would help accomplish that."
"During 1996 to 2000 the abortion rate in D.C. dropped 34 percent due to the implementation of this provision that Democrats opposed," he told LifeNews.com. "This language should remain in place to help save the precious lives of the unborn.
Tiahrt cited a recent study showing nearly 70 percent of Americans oppose using taxpayer dollars to fund or subsidize abortions.
But Nancy Keenan, the president of NARAL representing the minority of Americans who back the pro-abortion position, commended the members of the panel who voted for abortion funding.
She called prohibiting taxpayer funded abortions in the District of Columbia a "discriminatory policy" and applauded the panel for "follow[ing] President Obama’s lead."
"We cleared an important hurdle, thanks to the leadership of subcommittee chairman Rep. Jose Serrano and our pro-choice allies on the House Appropriations Committee," Keenan said.
Keenan urged members of the House Rules Committee to disallow a vote on a second Tiahrt amendment on the House floor to restore the abortion funding ban.
"As this bill moves to the full House, our activists are ready to work to ensure that Congress upholds the committee’s action," she said.
Tiahrt said abortions in Washington could eliminate future leaders.
"By publicly subsidizing abortions, we are devaluing the lives of those born into families living in economic hardship. I cannot help but think of all the great minds we will never know because of the increase in abortions performed in our Nation’s Capital city," he said.
"We must continue the fight to protect the rights of the unborn – for the next great author or the next great scientist who could discover a cure for cancer. Each life is precious, has potential for greatness and should be protected," he concluded.
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