Abortion In Health Care Reform Is At Risk Today
posted by: Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux 13 days ago
The House of Representatives is debating abortion in health care reform as I type this. So I'm going to keep this short and sweet, because the upshot of the post is that if you care about abortion being covered by health insurance, you need to pick up the phone and tell your congressional representative.
This morning, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops met with House leaders in an attempt to limit or eliminate women's coverage of abortion under the new health care reform. Abortion has been seen as a potentially divisive issue for Democrats in the health care reform debate. Anti-choice Democrats have been threatening to let the bill sink if abortion is covered (which, by the way, is a huge step backward - according to NARAL Pro-Choice America, 85 percent of private health-insurance plans cover some form of abortion services). They say that they can't support the bill unless it explicitly says that federal money will not be used to offset the cost of abortion.
Now, Representative Bart Stupak (D-Michigan) has introduced an amendment that would make it virtually impossible for private health-insurance companies to both participate in the new system and offer coverage of abortion. This would be a disaster for women's reproductive choice, because abortion is in many cases prohibitively expensive.
The vote on this amendment will be happening in a matter of hours; the vote on the full health care reform bill should be around 9 PM EST. But I hope that pro-choice members of Congress won't be forced to choose between abortion coverage and voting for the health care reform bill as a whole. When she was asked earlier today whether her allies in the pro-choice movement would support the bill with the language offered yesterday by Rep. Stupak, Speaker Nancy Pelosi offered a one-word answer: "Yes."
Let your representatives know that this is important to you - and that being pro-choice does not mean that you need to compromise. Abortion should be part of any comprehensive health care program, and eliminating it is an unwarranted assault on women's reproductive freedom.
This morning, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops met with House leaders in an attempt to limit or eliminate women's coverage of abortion under the new health care reform. Abortion has been seen as a potentially divisive issue for Democrats in the health care reform debate. Anti-choice Democrats have been threatening to let the bill sink if abortion is covered (which, by the way, is a huge step backward - according to NARAL Pro-Choice America, 85 percent of private health-insurance plans cover some form of abortion services). They say that they can't support the bill unless it explicitly says that federal money will not be used to offset the cost of abortion.
Now, Representative Bart Stupak (D-Michigan) has introduced an amendment that would make it virtually impossible for private health-insurance companies to both participate in the new system and offer coverage of abortion. This would be a disaster for women's reproductive choice, because abortion is in many cases prohibitively expensive.
The vote on this amendment will be happening in a matter of hours; the vote on the full health care reform bill should be around 9 PM EST. But I hope that pro-choice members of Congress won't be forced to choose between abortion coverage and voting for the health care reform bill as a whole. When she was asked earlier today whether her allies in the pro-choice movement would support the bill with the language offered yesterday by Rep. Stupak, Speaker Nancy Pelosi offered a one-word answer: "Yes."
Let your representatives know that this is important to you - and that being pro-choice does not mean that you need to compromise. Abortion should be part of any comprehensive health care program, and eliminating it is an unwarranted assault on women's reproductive freedom.
Read more: politics, abortion, health care reform, stupak amendment
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The unborn is an individual living human being, The baby is an individual with unique DNA, the baby is living she/he has a metabolism, is growing has cells reproducing the baby is human, and is an individual being with her oun self-integrating living entity and nature,A change in environment does not change the essential nature of the unborn into a nor- person, where I am has no connection to my personhood People who DEPEND on Kidney machines or Insulin to LIVE are not considered a non- person or less of a person, so way the UNBORN???
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Personal choice is inappropriate when it harms or kills other human beings,If a group of people choose to torture a child, it seems, we would have no trouble forcing out morality on these people,A woman should have the choice to leave an abusive relationship and she should be offered support in doing so, But she should not have the choice to kill an innocent life.
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Sarah D. you really need to rethink your stance. A child is not a "benign parasite" it is a child. Do some research yourself. You are very ignorant when it comes to human life. Abortion is MURDER!!!! Nothing Less!!!! And on Judgment day, the women who kill thier children will answer to God. A child is a gift...NOT A CHOICE!!! What's wrong with you pro-choice people?! You all need to open your eyes and read the Bible.
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Thank you Michelle. Many of us would like to adopt or foster but lack the $$ resources to provide a home to a child that needs one. It is unfortunate that Sara and many more like her feel that the love of a child is only for one that is bioligical. Sarah, I am supportive of your right to choose, it's really none of my business however, on the flip side you should be supportive of someones eles' right to choose even if it is life.
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It is not ok to to label individuals on streroterpical assuptions about a group.
"You, like all the other pro-lifers, don't support or care about children who are homeless or family-less, a.k.a. the children who need to be adopted".
Exuse me? How can you know that? Actually, I am considering foster care.
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Would it make a difference if it were proven the "benign parasite" could feel pain?
Would the common phrase then be" We didn't know?
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It's amazing how uneducated the pro-lifers are about fetal stages and the womb in general, not to mention their arguments get more ludicrous by the day.
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"As far as for my support for women, I do."
Lying is a sin in all religions. It's not supporting women, or girls, when you take away their reproductive rights and choices.
"I also support children."
Only biological children. You, like all the other pro-lifers, don't support or care about children who are homeless or family-less, a.k.a. the children who need to be adopted.
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"Well, you know what, children still are!"
Fetuses aren't children and they're not property. Until the fetus leaves the woman's body it is a benign parasite feeding off the host.
"I am a strong child's advocate. I never never want anyone one to be be abused- that includes children."
Abortion is not child abuse.
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As far as men in relation to abortion, many do support abortion and strongly influence women when they find out she is pregnant.
As far as for my support for women, I do. My anti abortion stance is perceived that I am not.
I also support children.
"women after hundreds of years of women being treated like property[..]and women not having any rights" Well, you know what, children still are! People on both sides of the abortion issue treat children like women and African American adults once too- thing is, they are less defenseless this. I am a strong child's advocate. I never never want anyone one to be be abused- that includes children.
I have seen people on both sides states the other side is hypoctical. The proabortionist animal rights supports have claimed the prolifers are hypocrtical cause they kill anilams. The propreborn lifers have claimed that animal rihgts activists are hypocritical cause they kill babies.
I only way that I can not be hypocritical is to push for for the equality of all.
If science proves that preborn babies have conniotive function, what will the future think about this generation. It seems to me that it will be compared to the slaveholders, including those who enslaved women, those who killed bay girls because of their sex.
I respect women. I also respect who I was as a child. I stand for all!
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