The U.S. House of Representatives passed an agriculture spending bill Thursday, and included an amendment to prevent the telemedicine funds in the measure from covering telemed abortions.
Planned Parenthood clinics in Iowa were the first in the country to sell so-called telemed abortions, in which an abortionist in another location consults with a woman over a webcam and then uses a remote control to open a drawer containing RU-486 for her to take. The woman and the abortionist never meet in person.
"I applaud the House of Representatives for passing my important pro-life amendment," said Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa. "American taxpayers should not be asked to subsidize abortions, and federal telemedicine grants should not be used to enable abortion providers like Planned Parenthood to dispense the RU-486 abortion drug.
"My amendment ensures that no telemedicine grant money in the Agriculture Appropriations bill will be spent for any purpose that enables abortionists to perform 'telemed abortions.' Cutting off this source of funding for this procedure will save the lives of women and unborn babies."
At least six women have died in the U.S. in connection with RU-486, and at least 950 cases of serious side effects have been reported.
Source: CitizenLink
