The U.S. House will vote this week on whether to "de-abortionize" ObamaCare, and a national pro-life organization is trying to show representatives why doing so is a good idea.
The ObamaCare law enacted last year contains multiple provisions to subsidize abortion and open doors to abortion-expanding actions by various agencies of the federal government. But Douglas Johnson of the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC) tells OneNewsNow the Protect Life Act (H.R. 358), sponsored by Congressman Joe Pitts (R-Pennsylvania), would correct all of that.
"It is similar to something called the Stupak-Pitts Amendment that the House of Representatives approved in 2009 but did not become part of the final healthcare law because it was blocked by President Obama and by pro-abortion Democratic senators," Johnson explains.
And he points out that despite the fact that the administration denies that abortion coverage is part of ObamaCare, it is there. In fact, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius spoke at a recent fundraising event in Chicago for the National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL).
"Secretary Sebelius said -- quote -- 'we are at war' -- unquote -- with critics of the healthcare law," the pro-lifer cites. "So, she understands and NARAL understands that this is an abortion-expanding bill."
Johnson's organization reports that a post-election poll from The Polling Company in November 2010 shows that 58 percent of Americans oppose using taxpayer dollars to pay for abortion at any time and for any reason.
So the NRLC sent a letter last week to members of the House, noting that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act "contained multiple provisions that provide authorizations for subsidies for abortion … and also provisions that opened doors to abortion-expanding administrative actions." But H.R. 358, the group points out, "contains important conscience protections for pro-life healthcare providers."
The House is to vote on the Protect Life Act later this week.
Contact: Charlie Butts
Source: OneNewsNow
