Pro-Life Group Challenges Harry Reid on No Abortion in Health Care Promise

National   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Nov 12, 2009   |   9:00AM   |   WASHINGTON, DC

Pro-Life Group Challenges Harry Reid on No Abortion in Health Care Promise

by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
November 12
, 2009

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — A pro-life women’s group is challenging Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on his promise this week that the health care bill he unveils next week will not contain abortion funding. The Susan B. Anthony List notes how Reid has changed from a pro-life to a mixed voting record on abortion issues.

Reid said Tuesday that there will be no abortion funding in the Senate version of the health care reform bill.

“I expect that the bill that will be brought to the floor will ensure that no federal funds are used for abortion and that the rights of providers, health care facilities, like Catholic hospitals, will be protected, so I believe we can work that out, and we will” Reid said.

In response, Susan B. Anthony List president Marjorie Dannenfelser — whose group challenged Reid with commercials early in the health care debate — told LifeNews.com that he needs to remember voters in his state of Nevada don’t want abortion funding.

"Senator Reid should remember the Nevadans who elected him to defend life when he is crafting abortion language in the Senate health care reform bill," she said. "Abortion is not health care, and Senator Reid’s constituents will not settle for anything less than an authentic abortion exclusion measure."

"Nevadans won’t settle for phony compromises and accounting gimmicks — they deserve authentic safeguards that will ensure not one dime of federal funds subsidizes abortion or health plans that cover abortion," she added.

"There is just simply no room for compromise when human life is at stake. Either you fund abortion or you don’t," Dannenfelser said. "The Senate should respect this status quo, precedent set under the Hyde Amendment. Now is not the time to cave into the scare-tactics and increasing demands from the abortion lobby."

Although Reid has weakened his historic pro-life views — which saw him sponsor a personhood measure in the 1970s — he still maintains he opposes taxpayer funding of abortions.

Dannenfelser says what he does with the health care bill will prove whether or not that claim is true.

"Senator Reid claims to oppose taxpayer funding for abortion, and he can prove with health care reform. He has the opportunity to stop the greatest expansion of government-backed abortion since Roe v. Wade. Make no mistake — government-sponsored abortion coverage is a stark departure from our long tradition of limiting federal taxpayer-funds for abortion," she said.

"It’s time for Senator Reid to live up to his pro-life self- label. Reid should honor his pro-life commitments and the consciences of the majority of Nevadans by opposing the abortion mandate in health care reform. If he doesn’t, the Susan B. Anthony List will make sure his constituents know the truth, because votes have consequences," the pro-life women’s leader told LifeNews.com.

Dannenfelser’s promise to inform Nevada voters about his abortion record is no idle threat.

As part of its Votes Have Consequences project, the Susan B. Anthony List has funded $130,000 in television, radio ads and educational phone calls across Nevada calling on Senator Reid to defend life in health care reform.

Related web sites:
Susan B. Anthony List – https://www.sba-list.org

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.