Judge OKs Lawsuit Against Pro-Abortion Health Care, GOP Hopes to Stop Funding
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
August 2, 2010
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — A federal judge ruled today that the lawsuit the state of Virginia and several others filed against the pro-abortion health care law passed in March can go forward. Meanwhile, Republicans in Congress are pushing a plan to cut off funding for the health care scheme in case the lawsuit or repeal bids fail.
U.S. District Court Judge Henry Hudson issued a decision today saying the states can move forward with their lawsuit against the health care law, which allows massive abortion funding.
"While this case raises a host of complex constitutional issues, all seem to distill to the single question of whether or not Congress has the power to regulate — and tax — a citizen’s decision not to participate in interstate commerce," Hudson wrote. "Given the presence of some authority arguably supporting the theory underlying each side’s position, this court cannot conclude at this stage that the complaint fails to state a cause of action."
Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, who is pro-life, filed a lawsuit immediately after President Barack Obama signed the bill into law.
The Department of Health and Human Services, led by pro-abortion Kathleen Sebelius, filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit but Judge Hudson’s decision denies that motion.
Meanwhile, while Republicans may not be able to repeal the pro-abortion health care law next year — because President Barack Obama would veto such a bill doing so, they are hoping to deny the administration the funds needed to implement it. They are now working on such a message and getting it out to candidates on the campaign trail.
“Our goal remains to repeal the bill and replace it, but, clearly, with the president’s veto pen, we’re going to have to take interim steps,” pro-life Rep. Kevin Brady of Texas, the top House Republican on the Joint Economic Committee, told Politico.
While they have proposed a bill to cut off funding — which would also see an Obama veto — Republicans are working on ways in which they can modify legislation needed to implement the law and reducing or eliminating the funding.
“Hopefully, we will have an election cycle where we will have a strong wave coming in that is opposed to this and can oppose the funding and the implementation of this,” said Sen. Sam Brownback, a pro-life Kansas Republican. He told Politico: the
law “has to be funded to be implemented.”
So far, 120 House and Senate candidates have signed the pledge Republicans have posted at https://www.DefundIt.org to stop the funding of the health care bill.
With a new poll out today showing a strong majority of Americans oppose the health care plan and want it repealed, the efforts are likely to pay dividends at the polls in November.
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.
