To:        Journalists and other interested parties

From:   Douglas Johnson, NRLC Federal Legislation Director, 202-626-8820

Re:        Sweeping pro-abortion mandates in pending "health care reform" legislation

Date:    Friday, July 10, 2009

The two central "health care reform" bills currently moving in Congress – the Kennedy bill and the House Democratic leadership bill – each contain provisions that would, if enacted, represent the greatest expansion of abortion since the Supreme Court handed down its Roe v. Wade ruling legalizing abortion in 1973.  These bills contain multiple provisions that would result in federally mandated insurance coverage of abortion on demand, massive federal subsidies for abortion, mandated creation of many new abortion clinics, and nullification of at least some state limitations on abortion.

Next week, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee is expected to consider a number of NRLC-supported amendments offered by Republican senators that would remove the pro-abortion mandates and subsidies from the Kennedy bill.  House committees will consider similar amendments during markups of the House Democratic leadership bill, which is also planned for next week.

On July 9, Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ), co-chairman of the House Pro-Life Caucus, distributed to his colleagues the letter that appears below – a collection of statements by Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and five pro-abortion organizations, confirming their intent to greatly expand access to abortion on demand, using "health care reform" as a vehicle.  You will find it easier to read if you download the PDF image of the letter from http://www.nrlc.org/AHC/2009July9SmithDearColleague.pdf

If President Obama, congressional Democratic leaders, and the pro-abortion advocacy groups were to succeed in mandating vast expansions of access to abortion, with federal funding, the predictable result would be a great increase in the number of abortions performed – this, from a president who assured the American people that he would pursue policies to reduce abortions.

For more information:  Contact the NRLC Federal Legislation Department, (202) 626-8820, legfederal@aol.com, or the NRLC Communications Department, (202) 626-8825, mediarelations@nrlc.org, or visit http://www.nrlc.org/AHC/Index.html

NRLC Legislative Director Douglas Johnson and Senior Legislative Counsel Susan T. Muskett are available for interviews on the subject discussed above.