Members of Congress Concerned Obama Health Care Agenda Includes Abortions

National   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Jul 15, 2009   |   9:00AM   |   WASHINGTON, DC

Members of Congress Concerned Obama Health Care Agenda Includes Abortions

by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
July 15
, 2009

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — Several members of Congress on Tuesday held a press conference highlighting their concerns that the health care bills that President Barack Obama is pushing through Congress are pro-abortion. They worry the measures will allow taxpayer funding of abortion and abortion mandates for insurance companies.

Rep. Chris Smith, the chairman of the Congressional Pro-Life Caucus, and several pro-life women and physician members of the House participated in the event.

Smith said he is concerned the Obama health care restructuring plan will be the most massive abortion expansion since Roe v. Wade and that every health insurance premium holder and every taxpayer will be forced to pay for every abortion.

"Obamacare is the greatest threat ever to the lives and wellness of unborn children and their mothers since Roe v. Wade was rendered in 1973," he said, according to text provided to LifeNews.com.

"Despite Mr. Obama’s statement to the Pope last week that he wants to reduce abortion, the ugly truth is that his so-called health care reform bill, if enacted, will lead to millions of additional dead children and wounded mothers," Smith continued. "Unless the legislation explicitly excludes abortion by amendment, abortion will be forced on every health plan in America."

"Even the pro-abortion Guttmacher Institute has found that 20%-35% of Medicaid eligible women who would chose abortion rather than carry their pregnancies to term when public funds are not available," he added.

Smith echoed the views of many members of Congress from both parties who are wondering why the Obama administration is pushing a health care bill and its adoption in a matter of weeks.

"Why the rush to enact Mr. Obama’s exceedingly expensive, complex and potentially ruinous health care restructuring plan without the benefit of comprehensive hearings on and a through vetting of the actual bill text?" Smith asked.

Dr. David Roe, a Tennessee Republican, was another of the members joining in the event and condemned the effect of the bill on pro-life physicians and health care workers.

“I am appalled so-called health care reform legislation will mandate taxpayer-funded abortion coverage for nearly every insurance plan in America,” he said.

"The new Democratic majority has already started removing protections for medical professionals who do not want to perform abortions," he added. "It is outrageous they are now trying to sneak abortion coverage into their health care bill that so clearly goes against what the majority of Americans want. This is unlawful and goes against the right of conscience.”

Other members of Congress participating in the press conference included Reps. Joe Pitts, Tom Price, pro-life women’s caucus chair Jean Schmidt, Michele Bachmann, Mary Fallin, Virginia Foxx, David Roe, John Fleming, MD, Bill Cassidy and Phil Gingrey, MD.

Related web sites:
Statement by Rep. Joe Pitts

Sign Up for Free Pro-Life News From LifeNews.com

Daily Pro-Life News Report Twice-Weekly Pro-Life
News Report
Receive a free daily email report from LifeNews.com with the latest pro-life news stories on abortion, euthanasia and stem cell research. Sign up here. Receive a free twice-weekly email report with the latest pro-life news headlines on abortion, euthanasia and stem cell research. Sign up here.