Missouri Sen. McCaskill Won’t Back Abortion in Health Care, Record Contradicts

State   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Aug 12, 2009   |   9:00AM   |   WASHINGTON, DC

Missouri Sen. McCaskill Won’t Back Abortion in Health Care, Record Contradicts

by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
August 12
, 2009

Hillsboro, MO (LifeNews.com) — Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill participated in a health care forum on Tuesday during which she denied that any abortion funding exists in the Senate version of the government-run health care plan. She pledged to oppose the abortion funding but her record suggests otherwise.

During the event, which saw McCaskill booed repeatedly for supporting the pro-abortion health care plan, the Missouri Democrat denied abortion funding appears in the Senate bill.

A St. Louis Beacon report indicated the "crowd rejected her repeated denials" and, not getting far with the coverup, McCaskill took another approach.

She said that if abortion funding provisions wound up in the final bill the Senate votes on, which it already does, she would vote against the health care plan.

McCaskill’s pledge to vote against the bill if it funds abortions caught the eye of Sam Lee, the director of Campaign Life Missouri.

"If this is correct – that Sen. McCaskill said she would never vote for a bill that forces Americans to pay for abortions – it would represent a complete reversal of her life-long political position in support of tax-funded abortion," he told LifeNews.com.

"For both 2007 & 2008, NARAL Pro-Choice America gave Senator McCaskill 100% ratings," Lee noted.

Just seven months ago, McCaskill voted against an amendment that would restore the Mexico City Policy, which President Barack Obama overturned and which had stopped taxpayer funding of groups that promote and perform abortions overseas.

In 2007 and 2008, McCaskill voted another three times against limits on funding abortions or groups that do them.

“It is imperative that Missourians hold Sen. McCaskill’s feet to the fire to stay true to her promise that she will vote against any health care bill that forces taxpayers to fund abortions,” Lee said.

“In fact, the best way for Sen. McCaskill to keep this pledge that she made to the voters in Hillsboro is to vote for any and all pro-life amendments to the health care reform measures that protect the unborn, and that defend taxpayers and health insurance policy holders from funding abortions," he added.

During the health care forum in Missouri, McCaskill also denied that the health care plan in Congress would ration medical care for seniors.

"Do you think politicians will kick seniors in the knees?" she asked incredulously.

The crowd shouted in the affirmative.

ACTION: Hold Senator McCaskill accountable by calling her office at (202) 224-6154 or contacting her at https://mccaskill.senate.gov/contact

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