President Obama Again Attacks Stupak Amdt, Backs Pro-Abortion Senate Bill
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
November 20, 2009
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — During an interview with Fox News, President Barack Obama again condemned the Stupak amendment added to the House health care bill to stop abortion funding. Meanwhile, the Obama administration says the president supports the new Senate health care bill that contains massive abortion subsidies.
Before it voted for its version of the government-run health care bill, the House added the Stupak amendment on a lopsided bipartisan vote to prevent abortion funding in the public option and affordability credits.
The new comments are the second time Obama has said he either wants the Stupak amendment removed from the bill or
Obama is making what even left-leaning mainstream media factcheck sites are calling a false argument by saying the Stupak amendment goes too far in preventing women from getting abortions paid for under their own insurance plans.
"There is a balance to be achieved that is consistent with the Hyde Amendment," Obama said.
"I believe in the basic idea that federal dollars shouldn’t pay for abortions. But I also think we shouldn’t restrict women’s choices, so I think there’s some negotiations going on, not just on the Democratic side, but I think among people of good will on both sides, to see if we can arrive at something that meets that criteria," he continued. "And I’m confident we can do that."
Asked if the Stupak amendment provides that so-called balance he supposedly seeks, Obama told Fox News: "Not yet."
Tony Perkins, the president of the Family Research Council, gave LifeNews.com his response.
"It looks like President Obama will do everything he can to keep that one senator from tearing down the wall between taxpayers and the bloody business of abortion," he said of Stupak’s efforts.
"With all due respect, this isn’t about striking a balance; it’s about maintaining the status quo. And that status quo is that the federal government doesn’t bankroll the abortion industry," he added.
Today, White House officials announced Obama supports the Senate bill even though it has massive abortion funding he supposedly opposes.
Obama health care director Nancy Ann DeParle told AP that Obama favors the Senate bill language, which contains the Capps amendment — an accounting scheme meant to cover up the government funding of abortions under the legislation.
"It was carefully worked through by the leader, who cares a lot about making sure this maintains the status quo on abortion policy," DeParle said.
But pro-life organizations have made it clear that the new Harry Reid health care restructuring bill funds abortions.
"Reid has rejected the bipartisan Stupak-Pitts Amendment and has substituted completely unacceptable language that would result in coverage of abortion on demand in two big new federal government programs," National Right to Life legislative director Douglas Johnson assured LifeNews.com late Wednesday.
"Reid seeks to cover elective abortions in two big new federal health programs, but tries to conceal that unpopular reality with layers of contrived definitions and hollow bookkeeping requirements," he continued.
Johnson notes that Reid’s bill establishes the public option and authorizes (on page 118) the Secretary of Health and Human Services to require coverage of any and all abortions throughout the public option program.
"This would be federal government funding of abortion, no matter how hard they try to disguise it," he says.
He also says the bill creates the affordability credits — new tax-supported subsidies to purchase private health plans — and that these government-funded credits can be used to purchase health insurance plans that directly pay for abortions.
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.
