Republicans Re-Introduce Forcible Rape

If you thought the Republicans were simply going to bow to outrage over their attempts to narrow the definition of rape to “forcible rape” for abortion law, think again.

Through the use of a committee report Republicans have reintroduced the statutory (and other) rape exclusions to H.R. 3, otherwise known as the “No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act.” A committee report is a document that congressional committees produce outlining their intent behind a particular piece of legislation. While not binding law, committee reports are instructive looks into legislative intent and can serve as a persuasive authority for courts who must parse such intent when a bill gets challenged.

The committee report for H.R. 3 says that the bill will “not allow the Federal Government to subsidize abortions in cases of statutory rape.” So despite the fact that the language of H.R. 3 does not say that explicitly, that’s exactly what Republicans intend the bill to do.

Republicans insist their efforts change nothing since current law (the Hyde Amendment) already prevents Medicaid from paying for abortions in cases of statutory rape. The problem is, Hyde does not make any distinction between statutory rape or any other kind of rape and the only evidence Republicans have offered to the contrary is their own testimony.

Hyde clearly states that there are two times when Medicaid funds can be used to pay for an abortion and those are in cases of rape or incest. States interpreting Hyde have never made a carve-out for rape cases that were “forced” and those that were “consensual.” But that is exactly what Republicans are trying to do.

As if that were not offensive enough, consider their efforts through the lens provided by Amanda Marcotte who argues forcefully and persuasively that this extended assault on women has now reached to coercive pregnancies for teenagers — poor teenagers obviously since the fight is around the use of Medicaid funds.

And for those who may be unswayed by issues of reproductive justice, consider the bill from a purely economic point of view. According to Frank Knapp, H.R. 3 is effectively a tax increase on small business because it eliminates the health insurance tax credits under the Affordable Care Act for any existing or new plans that provide coverage for abortion.

In fact the bill’s fiscal impact is so negative the non-partisan Office of Management and Budget took the unprecedented step and told the President to veto the measure should it pass — the first time ever OMB has taken such a stand.

The vote on H.R. 3 is tomorrow. Contact your Senators and insist they vote against H.R. 3.

photo courtesy of DaveFayram via Flickr

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Annmari L.

1:59AM PDT on Jun 19, 2011

Rape is by definition forced upon a victim. Rape can NEVER be consensual! When are the ignorant low lifes of the repukes and teabags going to get that? Didn't they go to school and learned the meaning of different words? Or did they skip school that day? Send them all a Webster dictionary on line and force them to read every word in it!

send a green star

1:55AM PDT on Jun 19, 2011

Citlalli Valles, corinne c., Lika S., April Thompson: You said it all so elegantly. Green Stars all around!

Past Member .

12:14PM PDT on Jun 6, 2011

I suggest that pro-unborn baby legislation should trump anti-choise legislation. Nobody gets killed then.

Roy D.

1:09PM PDT on Jun 3, 2011

You women just don't get it, do you? It isn't an issue of what you can do with your own body, you can do anything you want to lower yourselves to do. It's an issue of murdering a baby that is now a new person within you. You do not have the right to do that!

1:04PM PDT on Jun 3, 2011

It is not "anti-women" or "war on women," it is war on promiscuous or licentious sexual irresponsibility.

Citlalli V.

8:50PM PDT on May 22, 2011

My body, my health, my right. Buzz off, machos!

corinne c.

7:32AM PDT on May 12, 2011

A woman should have the final vote on what she does with her own body. It's her decision and hers alone. NO strings attached.

Lika S.

2:05AM PDT on May 12, 2011

I want to introduce forcible castrations to said republicans.

Rape is already forced, and my reproductive matters should NOT be a legislative issue.

If I end up pregnant at my age, which is entirely possible, I may have a normal pregnancy, or I could be in a load of trouble. So if my life is on the line, I have to go forth with it anyway because it's not a rape situation?

Fine. If saving my own life isn't my choice, then it's not your choice to have an erection again, either. Mandatory castration to those GOP members who want to legislate MY life!

And they have the nerve to call the democrats a "big brother" or nanny state? This thinking is outright authoritarian!

April T.

6:50AM PDT on May 10, 2011

Go to hell, you stupid GOPs!

Hope S.

3:56PM PDT on May 9, 2011

We have a bumper crop of politicians who know nothing, are unable or uninterested to learn; yet feel superior to our founding fathers and want to dismantle the core values of our country.